How and When Did Tourism Start?

Most of us love to travel and when we think about travelling, what we probably have in mind are the best two or three weeks of the year. Tourism has become a major industry and it creates around 100 million jobs worldwide.

History of tourism - Photo by Stanislav Kondratiev from Pexels

Achim Riemann

In 1854, the first travel agency opened. In 1869, one of the first group tours was launched. It included attendance at the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt.

But how did it all start?

A long time ago, people initially moved around for practical reasons, such as looking for food or water, or fleeing natural disasters or enemies. But as early as ancient Egypt and in the other “high” cultures found throughout the continents at the time, people started to travel for religious reasons. They set out on pilgrimages, for example to Mecca, or on journeys to take a ritual bath in the Ganges River. That was the beginning of tourism.

What about modern tourism?

Modern tourism can be traced back to the so-called “Grand Tour”, which was an educational journey across Europe. One of the first who embarked on this journey was the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Wladyslaw IV Vasa, also known as Wladislaus Sigismundus, Prince of Poland and Sweden. And yes, the grand tour was just for the super-rich. In 1624, Wladyslaw travelled to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic. (1)

Poor or even normal people had neither the money nor the time to go on a holiday. However, that started to change at the end of the 19th century. Around 1880, employees in Europe and North America were granted their first work-free days besides Sundays and the mostly Christian holidays, such as Easter or Christmas. These extra work-free days were usually unpaid in the beginning. Since most people couldn’t spare the money for travel, this led to excursions into the surroundings rather than travelling.

History of tourism - Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels

The founders of international “tourism” in Europe were the British

Thomas Cook is considered the founder of what is known as organized “package” holidays. In the last decades of the 19th century, the upper social classes in England were so wealthy due to the income from the British Empire that they were the first to be able to afford trips to far-flung areas. (1)

In 1854, the first travel agency opened. In 1869, one of the first group tours was launched. It included attendance at the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt. From 1889, people took holiday cruises on steamships with musical performances. Seaside holidays became really popular around 1900 (and continue to be popular to this today). From the 1970s onwards, many in the industrialised countries could finally afford a holiday trip. The first criticism over this arose at the beginning of the 1970s: due to tourism, there were as many tourists in Spain in 1973 as there were inhabitants. (2)

In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, 1.5 billion tourist arrivals were recorded around the world, a 4% increase compared to 2018's figures. The most visited countries in 2019 were France with 89 million tourists, followed by Spain with 83 million tourists and the United States with 80 million tourists. China and Italy sit at fourth and fifth places, respectively, with 63 million tourists in China and 62 million tourists in Italy. (3)

And what are the most visited tourist attractions worldwide? According to a recent research from TripAdvisor, these are the top five: the Colosseum (Italy), the Louvre (France), the Vatican, the Statue of Liberty (USA), the Eiffel Tower (France) (4).

  • Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourismus , 12.03.2022
  • Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massentourismus , 12.03.2022
  • TravelBook: https://www.travelbook.de/ziele/laender/die-meistbereisten-laender-der-welt
  • Travel Wanderlust: https://www.travelwanderlust.co/articles/most-visited-tourist-attractions-in-the-world/  12.03.2022

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Tourism Teacher

The fascinating history of tourism and aviation

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The history of tourism is absolutely fascinating. Why do we go on holiday to the Caribbean? How was the cruise developed? Why did we start travelling by plane? This article answers all of these questions and more about the history of tourism.

Ancient times

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The history of tourism is a long one. Whilst we may not always have had high speed trains, aircraft and luxurious cruise ships , people have long had the desire to be tourists .

The history of tourism can largely be attributed to technological developments in transport. The more roads that are built, the more places people can drive. The more airports that open, the more places that people can fly to.

The history of tourism is also closely related to the global economic, social and political outlook. Someone with lots of money is more likely to travel somewhere for a holiday than someone who does not have much money, for example. Likewise, many tourists are not likely to travel to a destination that is suffering from political instability.

There are many ways that the tourism industry and grown and developed over the years. In this article I will explain some of the elements of the history of tourism.

When did the history of tourism really begin? We can’t pinpoint it and, for obvious reasons, we can only really guess about tourism in ancient times. There are no selfies and no travel brochures to look back on, but we do know that people DID travel in ancient times. Historians have found records that provide an insight into the reasons that people travelled, and how this evolved into tourism.

We know that cultures and nations moved their armed forces around in order to conquer other areas, and to control trade routes and various resources. This created foundations for future travel. As the Egyptian , Roman and Eastern Mediterranean Empires emerged, necessary travel turned into tourism. The Phoenicians, for example, travelled not only to develop trade routes but also because of curiosity. They had a desire to discover what lay beyond that area of the Mediterranean. 

And other peoples likely did the same. The Mayas in modern day Mexico , and members of the Shang Dynasty in modern day China, travelled to see what was beyond their own borders. They also wanted to spread their civilisations, of course. Historians have been able to find evidence of ancient travels – artefacts from other places turning up in excavations, that couldn’t be there unless the ancient people had their own form of tourism.

It is hard to know when simple travel turned into what we would define as tourism . As mentioned, the Empire Era (beginning with the Egyptians, including the Greeks and stretching unit the eventual form the Roman Empire) was influential in the development of travel and tourism . As time went on, people travelled more. They travelled for various reasons: commercial, educational, governmental and religious purposes. With consolidated governments in different central locations established as early as the Egyptian Kingdoms (4850-715 BC), travel was a necessity.

And because travel was a necessity, so too were basic necessities. Lodging and food needed to be provided to those visiting from other areas, which likely gave way to a realisation that you could travel to another place just because. This is especially true of the Greeks (900-200 BC). They wanted to find fun in new locations – they promoted the use of a common language, and their money became a form of common currency.

Places that were important in terms of government activities turned into what we might call tourist attractions . With shops, places to eat and drink, sports to watch, gaming and even theatre, there was plenty to do if you travelled to a different area. This only evolved further with the ancient Romans. During their empire (500 BC – 300 AD), good roads were developed and water routes improved. Inns were opened, around 30 miles apart from each other – a relatively easy days journey in between, so you always had a place to rest at night. Horses could even be hired here.

Roman roads expanded into a 50,000-mile system. With their currency now almost universally accepted, and common languages such as Greek and Latin being used, travel constantly became easier and less stressful. Then came the common legal system. This allowed for people to feel safer and more protected as they traveled – whether that be for pleasure, business or adventure. Cities throughout the Roman empire (such as Pompeii) became destinations for the middle and upper classes to explore during their downtime.

This can teach us something about the way we travel today. Tourism booms when people have more free time (such as during school holidays) and currencies are easily exchangeable. There are common languages, and the existence of law allows for a feeling of personal safety. If any of these factors were to be removed, people would be less inclined to travel. This was seen during the Middle Ages, when tourism was in decline.

history of tourism

Throughout the Middle Ages (5-14th centuries AD) travel – and by extension tourism – was pretty much nonexistent. It became dangerous after the fall of the Roman Empire. While there had been a commonality among nations, there were now autonomous areas thanks to a feudal system. Transport was fragmented; so was language and currency. This made travelling to somewhere different much more difficult than it had been.

And when people did travel, it wasn’t for leisure. With the Roman Catholic Church gaining power, there were nine crusades in attempt to retake the Holy Land between 1096 and 1291 AD. But they all failed, and left people with a desire to see the world outside of their own locality. People were keen to experience different civilisations.

Merchants – like Marco Polo – started to travel far and wide after the failed crusades. Polo’s travels in particular (1295-1295 AD) were reported on, and people started to become more interested in travelling again.

So travel was reborn. During the Renaissance (14-16th centuries AD) more merchants travelled further afield. This was in part due to the church and royalty controlling larger geographic areas than they previously had done. Trade routes also started to reopen. Commercial activity grew, and people continued to venture out of their own towns and territories. 

The first real tourist , according to historians, was Cyriacus of Ancona. He journeyed around the Mediterranean, eager to learn about Greek and Roman history. His desire to learn about what had come before – and to see what remained – encouraged others to think about how travel could benefit education. And so, the Grand Tour Era emerged…

The Grand Tour era is an important part of the history of tourism. The era of the Grand Tour (1613-1785) was when tourism as we know it really came into play. Starting with the most wealthy in society, people travelled to learn. It was fashionable, and soon became a status symbol in its own way.

Those who were ‘coming of age’ would travel throughout Europe to see art, architecture, science and more in countries other than their own. Generally the most visited places were France , Switzerland , Germany and Italy . Each ‘Grand Tour’ would last a couple of years. People would travel by carriage, and be accompanied by someone older to take care of them.

This changed slightly with the introduction of the industrial revolution in around 1750. Economic and social structures were changed forever. The revolution meant that lengthy journeys such as a Grand Tour trip were no longer particularly viable for many people. Factory life and business management, and indeed modern industrialism as a whole, led to people becoming more tied down.

Transport changed too – it became more efficient as economies grew and technology advanced. Markets stretched across borders and individuals had higher incomes; travel was now for business and leisure, but with less free time trips were shorted. The tourism industry had to develop rapidly to ensure they could meet the newfound needs of potential customers.

History of tourism

The next stage in the history of tourism is all about mobility. As time moved on, the economy (and personal wealth) continued to grow. Increased leisure time and more accessible travel meant that tourism boomed. Because less people were tied down to all-consuming jobs such as farm work and more had moved on to working in offices, jobs and factories, there was more free time available. The Mobility Era (1800-1944) was defined by an increase in travel to new locations both near and far.

With new roads, passenger trains , stagecoaches and sailing ships becoming more common, tourism continued to grow. France and Great Britain had fantastic road and railroad systems which made the idea of travel even more available to people.

Then along came Thomas Cook , who can definitely be credited with bringing travel and tourism to the general public- Thomas Cook is one of the most famous names in the history of tourism! He was the first to introduce a tour package – travel and accommodation, with food often included too. In 1841 he arranged for a tour of around 570 people to travel from Loughborough to Leicester. For a shilling the journey included food and entertainment. There was instant demand for more of the same, and so the full-time business of arranging and providing travel services was born!

The Mobility Era continued to make changes. Cars and air travel were introduced next; with Henry Ford’s mass production for the Model T (1914), individuals had more freedom to travel. And thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright ’s successful test of the aeroplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, commercial air travel was also introduced. This meant the time it took to travel long distance was much shorter, and thus people were more mobile.

Another important time in the history of tourism is the modern era. The ability to move around and see new places was a start. Mass tourism continued to develop in the first half of the 20th century. George Westinghouse introduced the idea of paid leave from work, with a firm belief that allowing staff paid time off would be beneficial to productivity levels overall. This gave the working and middle classes in certain countries the time and money to fulfil their travel dreams – so the demand for tourism grew.

And as World War II came to an end in the 1940s, those who had been forced to travel during the war where keen to replicate this experience in a more positive way. They were now eager to travel for fun! They also wanted to share this with their loved ones, whether that be through travelling together or sharing stories that made these people want to travel too.

With gas/petrol no longer rationed, economies growing and cars once again being mass-produced, people travelled around in their cars – this was especially true in America, where the motel business really took off. This is similar, in a way, to the inns during the Empire Era.

Many factors contributed to the exponential growth of the travel industry. Hotels and motels took to the franchising model of business expansion, and jet travel was properly introduced in the 1950s, becoming popular throughout the 1960s.

Another fifties introduction helped: the credit card. Originally the Diners Club card, this provided travellers with the means to buy things wherever they were in the world without the hassle of currency exchange and carrying cash. To this day, credit cards are the preferred way to spend money when travelling.

So people had time, they had money – travel was safe and accessible. Tourism has simply continued to grow ever since. We now have mass tourism, and the people who engage in it can be split into two groups. These are ‘organisation mass tourists’ who make use of package deals and pre-prepared itineraries, and ‘individual mass tourists’. The second group travel independently but do use mass tourism services (airlines, hotel companies etc) which have been promoted in the media.

Travel is still ever-changing, though. People no longer necessarily travel just for the sake of travel – they want an immersive experience , adventure and the chance to give back to the local community . Tourism, and the travel companies with the industry, have to keep up with the different demands. 

Throughout the 21st century, Internet access has become more common and new borders have opened. There is always increased wealth and mobility of citizens. As different countries become attractive to tourists, their economy grows – which, in turn, makes the destination more attractive. This is why tourism is SO important !

There are always peaks and troughs when it comes to tourism. Terrorism, health scares and political/economic instability often discourage travel. There are now increased security procedures at airports, borders and attractions which can be off-putting for some people. But, for the most part, people love to travel.

In the post-modern tourism era, consumers are more savvy, more fussy and more aware. Nowadays, people care more about environmental conservation , community impact , economic leakage and other such issues and are far more considerate when they plan and undertake their travels.

Also, people now search for experiences that are authentic and are looking to experience a range of different types of tourism . Organisations working within the sector can now offer far more smart tourism experiences, such as virtual tourism – which was widely used during the Coronavirus outbreak of 2020.

Similarly, consumers are more Internet savvy in the post-modern era, meaning that they are leaning towards independent research and dynamic packaging as opposed to using the traditional package tourism methods that were so popular for so many years. In fact, as a result of this change in buying behaviour, many tour operators and travel agents have gone out of business, including the famous Thomas Cook.

The history of aviation

An account of the history of tourism wouldn’t be complete without discussing the integral role that aviation has played. So, lets dig a bit deeper into the history of aviation specifically…

What most people don’t realise when considering the history of tourism is that aviation and flight has actually been around for thousands of years! Dating back to the ancient years in Greek mythology is the story of Icarus and Daedalus who attempted to create a pair of wings using wax and feathers.

While this invention sadly ended in tragedy, one thing it shows is that humans have been interested and intrigued by flight for centuries. It took us a bit of time to master the skies, however and it is thanks largely to the famous Wright Brothers and to various military developments that we have the aviation industry that we do today.

The first aircraft known to be made by men was the kite. Created in China , the time is not known but many say it was sometime in the 5th Century, these kites are similar to the kites we still use today. Taking it a step further, the Chinese invented “man-lifting kites” which today are known as hot air balloons.

By the 1700s, aviation as we know it today was in full swing and inventors were exploring different devices, inventions and failures. At this time, there were two main categories of aviation: lighter than air aviation and heavier than air. This was an important time in the history of tourism.

In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers revealed their hot air balloon which didn’t need man to power it and the balloon flew over Annonay, France. This really started a wave of inventors who were interested in creating crafts that could fly without man powering it.

Later in that year, the brothers set up what is known as the first manned flight, with a tethered hot air balloon. A few weeks later, the brothers launched a manned flight with two astronauts onboard, that was untethered. Although the flight didn’t last very long because the fire began to burn the fabric, this is the beginning of modern-day aviation.

What Is The History Of Aviation?

On this date, Orville and Wilbur Wright changed the face of aviation and what it is today, making this day as a pivotal moment in the history of tourism.

Successfully completing four flights in their “flyer”, these brothers lasted mere seconds in the air in their aircraft and covered some 800 feet. Setting a new standard for aviation, these flights relied on power and control to work. This was brand new in the world of aviation and a very exciting achievement!

Because of the efforts of the Wright brothers, in 1914, the first passenger flight was used in the United States. Traveling from St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida , these flights only lasted a few months but paved the way for what we know today as transcontinental aviation and marked an important development in the history of tourism.

The 1920’s and 1930’s were a time of major improvements and inventions in the aviation industry. Aircraft designs that were ahead of their time and influenced aircrafts that we see today, were being used to allow people to travel from one place to another comfortably.

During the time of World War II, many cities and countries had established their own airports and military aircrafts were being repurposed as commercial planes and personal planes. The War was a time of using these aircrafts to travel from one country to the next and the growth of international aviation during this time is monumental. This was a huge time in the history of tourism!

Not long after this time period, the Convention on International Civil Aviation was founded and still stands today. Also known as the Chicago Convention , this agency was established to regulate standards, safety and efficiency of all civil flights. Today, the agency has made significant improvements in the world of aviation and has allowed for safer and more economical airliners.

After the post World War II era there were substantial developments to the history of tourism and aviation. In the 1970’s, many aircraft became digitised and had computer systems built into the craft. Because of the creation of these systems, better aircraft have been made and the designs of airplanes have become sleeker, safer and more comfortable over the years.

Computer simulations of flights have also led to the design of lighter aircraft and airplanes that are stronger. Today’s aviation industry offers one of the safest forms of transportation and has taken huge strides over the years.

The history of aviation aviation has been and continues to be a huge part of the economy for the entire world and has seen major improvements over the years. Without the discoveries from inventors that came before us, airplanes and travel may not be where they are today.

Recent years have seen the development of double decker aircraft, cleaner and greener aircraft and aircraft that can operate longer distances…. will be have supersonic aircraft in the future? Biofuels? Only time will tell- the history of tourism is not complete yet!

As you can see, the history of tourism is long and fruitful. While the industry has had its ups and downs, largely due to outside factors such as economic recession, war or a virus outbreak, it has continued to play an ever-important role in our lives. If you enjoyed this article on the history of tourism, I recommend that you take a look at these articles too-

  • The fascinating history of Thomas Cook
  • The fascinating history of the hotel industry
  • History of transportation
  • The fascinating history of Aviation

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How American Tourism Began

American tourism took the scenic route over the course of the twentieth century. A growing middle class and car ownership helped.

Old photo of a couple at Niagra

This summer, will you travel to a beach , a national park , or maybe a local campground ? Today, trips like these are often within reach of the average American family. But that’s a relatively new development. In a paper for The Journal of Economic History , Thomas Weiss explains how tourism went from an uncommon pastime for elites to a thoroughly middle-class activity .

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Weiss writes that, in general, the first European settlers in America were simply too busy eking out a living to take a vacation. Besides, Puritans and Anglican values discouraged anything even remotely like lying on a beach drinking a margarita. And yet, as early as the 1660s, some Americans were traveling for relaxation, often heading to spas and mineral springs. Among those taking the waters in Virginia a century later was George Washington. Although people claimed the point was to cure an ailment or maintain their health, Weiss writers that spa trips were clearly a “fashionable indulgence.”

In the early nineteenth century, a few scenic destinations became hot spots for tourism, most notably Niagara Falls. In fact, by the 1860s it was so popular that travelers complained that souvenir sellers and aggressive guides had spoiled the place. Still, Weiss estimates that only around 1 percent of the nation’s population visited a spa or other tourist destination in 1860.

Tourism started to become more popular after the Civil War, thanks largely to the development of railroads, though it remained an elite activity. Trains brought travelers to the Jersey Shore and the Florida Coast, and hotels blossomed from Coney Island to San Francisco. Urban Americans headed to the mountains for camping trips, while others explored the restaurants and sights of the major cities. Because transportation was slow and required advance planning, tourists didn’t take quick overnight trips. Vacations meant an extended stay.

That changed in the early twentieth century as cars began populating the landscape. Developers built roadside camps, then cabins and hotels. Small, local attractions popped up everywhere, and major destinations benefited from auto travel. In 1916, around 30,000 visitors traveled to Yellowstone National Park , the majority coming by train. Two decades later, 409,000 people arrived at the park in cars.

By 1930, Weiss writes, more than 5 percent of the population traveled to a well-known tourist attraction each year, and many more clearly stopped at more obscure destinations. The notion of taking vacations had begun to extend into the middle class.

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The basic form of tourism may have been established by World War II, but the scale of the activity changed dramatically in the post-war years. The growth of car ownership, rising middle-class wealth, newly established paid vacation benefits for many workers, and the advent of air travel all contributed to a tourism boom.

And that boom continues today. This year, AAA says a third of Americans will take a family vacation. Of course, that still means two thirds of us won’t. As a recent New York Times story pointed out, many families in the country can’t afford to take time off of work, or to send the kids to a summer camp. To some extent, vacations remain an elite activity.

Read about Ken Ilgunas’s “sort of illegal” hike across the Heartland in “ Backpacking Across ‘Stand Your Ground’ Territory ” on Public Books.

Editor’s note: This page was updated to fix the broken link to “Backpacking Across ‘Stand Your Ground’ Territory.”

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The Oxford Handbook of Tourism History

The Oxford Handbook of Tourism History

Eric G. E. Zuelow is Professor of History at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. He is author of A History of Modern Tourism (2015) and Making Ireland Irish: Tourism and National Identity since the Irish Civil War (2009), editor of Touring Beyond the Nation: A Transnational Approach to European Tourism History (2011), and editor of the Journal of Tourism History.

Kevin J. James is Professor of History at the University of Guelph in Canada, where he holds the Scottish Studies Foundation Chair and serves as Director of the Centre for Scottish Studies. His research programs have explored the history of the hotel visitors' book, hotels in wartime, and the history of country house hotels.

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By Bastian Herre, Veronika Samborska and Max Roser

Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000.

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Megatrends Defining the Future of Tourism pp 1–8 Cite as

Introduction: Travel and Tourism: An Industry Is Born in Four Milestones

  • Valentina Boschetto Doorly 3  
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How the travel and tourism industry came about to become a powerful protagonist of our economies: a brief history of tourism in four milestones.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

History

Chapter 1. History and Overview

Learning Objectives

  • Specify the commonly understood definitions of tourism and tourist
  • Classify tourism into distinct industry groups using North American Industry Classification Standards (NAICS)
  • Define hospitality  
  • Gain knowledge about the origins of the tourism industry
  • Provide an overview of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of tourism worldwide
  • Understand the history of tourism development in Canada and British Columbia
  • Analyze the value of tourism in Canada and British Columbia
  • Identify key industry associations and understand their mandates

What Is Tourism?

Before engaging in a study of tourism , let’s have a closer look at what this term means.

Definition of Tourism

There are a number of ways tourism can be defined, and for this reason, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)  embarked on a project from 2005 to 2007 to create a common glossary of terms for tourism. It defines tourism as follows:

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure ( United Nations World Tourism Organization , 2008).

Using this definition, we can see that tourism is the movement of people for a number of purposes (whether business or pleasure).

Definition of Tourist

Building on the definition of tourism, a commonly accepted description of a  tourist is “someone who travels at least 80 km from his or her home for at least 24 hours, for business or leisure or other reasons” (LinkBC, 2008, p.8). The United Nations World Tourism Organization (1995) helps us break down this definition further by stating tourists can be:

  • Domestic (residents of a given country travelling only within that country)
  • Inbound (non-residents travelling in a given country)
  • Outbound (residents of one country travelling in another country)

The scope of tourism, therefore, is broad and encompasses a number of activities.

Spotlight On: United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

UNWTO is the United Nations agency responsible “for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism” (UNWTO, 2014b). Its membership includes 156 countries and over 400 affiliates such as private companies and non-governmental organizations. It promotes tourism as a way of developing communities while encouraging ethical behaviour to mitigate negative impacts. For more information, visit the UNWTO website : http://www2.unwto.org/.

NAICS: The North American Industry Classification System

Given the sheer size of the tourism industry, it can be helpful to break it down into broad industry groups using a common classification system. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) was jointly created by the Canadian, US, and Mexican governments to ensure common analysis across all three countries (British Columbia Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, 2013a). The tourism-related groupings created using NAICS are (in alphabetical order):

  • Accommodation
  • Food and beverage services (commonly known as “F & B”)
  • Recreation and entertainment
  • Transportation
  • Travel services

These industry groups are based on the similarity of the “labour processes and inputs” used for each (Government of Canada, 2013). For instance, the types of employees and resources required to run an accommodation business — whether it be a hotel, motel, or even a campground — are quite similar. All these businesses need staff to check in guests, provide housekeeping, employ maintenance workers, and provide a place for people to sleep. As such, they can be grouped together under the heading of accommodation. The same is true of the other four groupings, and the rest of this text explores these  industry groups, and other aspects of tourism, in more detail. 

""

The Hospitality Industry

When looking at tourism it’s important to consider the term  hospitality . Some define hospitality as “t he business of helping people to feel welcome and relaxed and to enjoy themselves” (Discover Hospitality, 2015, ¶ 3). Simply put, the hospitality industry is the combination of the accommodation and food and beverage groupings, collectively making up the largest segment of the industry. You’ll learn more about accommodations and F & B in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, respectively. 

Before we seek to understand the five industry groupings in more detail, it’s important to have an overview of the history and impacts of tourism to date.

Global Overview

Origins of tourism.

Travel for leisure purposes has evolved from an experience reserved for very few people into something enjoyed by many. Historically, the ability to travel was reserved for royalty and the upper classes. From ancient Roman times through to the 17th century, young men of high standing were encouraged to travel through Europe on a “grand tour” (Chaney, 2000). Through the Middle Ages, many societies encouraged the practice of religious pilgrimage, as reflected in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and other literature.

The word hospitality  predates the use of the word tourism , and first appeared in the 14th century. It is derived from the Latin hospes , which encompasses the words guest, host , and foreigner (Latdict, 2014). The word tourist  appeared in print much later, in 1772 (Griffiths and Griffiths, 1772). William Theobald suggests that the word  tour  comes from Greek and Latin words for circle and turn, and that tourism and tourist  represent the activities of   circling away from home, and then returning (Theobald, 1998).

Tourism Becomes Business

Cox & Kings, the first known travel agency, was founded in 1758 when Richard Cox became official travel agent of the British Royal Armed Forces (Cox & Kings, 2014).  Almost 100 years later, in June 1841, Thomas Cook opened the first leisure travel agency, designed to help Britons improve their lives by seeing the world and participating in the temperance movement. In 1845, he ran his first commercial packaged tour, complete with cost-effective railway tickets and a printed guide (Thomas Cook, 2014).

The continued popularity of rail travel and the emergence of the automobile presented additional milestones in the development of tourism. In fact, a long journey taken by Karl Benz’s wife in 1886 served to kick off interest in auto travel and helped to publicize his budding car company, which would one day become Mercedes Benz (Auer, 2006). We take a closer look at the importance of car travel later this chapter, and of transportation to the tourism industry in Chapter 2.

Fast forward to 1952 with the first commercial air flights from London, England, to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Colombo, Sri Lanka (Flightglobal, 2002) and the dawn of the jet age, which many herald as the start of the modern tourism industry. The 1950s also saw the creation of Club Méditérannée (Gyr, 2010) and similar club holiday destinations, the precursor of today’s all-inclusive resorts.

The decade that followed is considered to have been a significant period in tourism development, as more travel companies came onto the scene, increasing competition for customers and moving toward “mass tourism, introducing new destinations and modes of holidaying” (Gyr, 2010, p. 32).

Industry growth has been interrupted at several key points in history, including World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. At the start of this century, global events thrust international travel into decline including the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center in New York City (known as 9/11), the war in Iraq, perceived threat of future terrorist attacks, and health scares including SARS, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), and West Nile virus (Government of Canada, 2006).

At the same time, the industry began a massive technological shift as increased internet use revolutionized travel services. Through the 2000s, online travel bookings grew exponentially, and by 2014 global leader Expedia had expanded to include brands such as Hotels.com, the Hotwire Group, trivago, and Expedia CruiseShip Centers, earning revenues of over $4.7 million (Expedia Inc., 2013).

A more in-depth exploration of the impact of the online marketplace, and other trends in global tourism, is provided in Chapter 14. But as you can already see, the impacts of the global tourism industry today are impressive and far reaching. Let’s have a closer look at some of these outcomes.

Tourism Impacts

Tourism impacts can be grouped into three main categories: economic, social, and environmental. These impacts are analyzed using data gathered by businesses, governments, and industry organizations.

Economic Impacts

According to a UNWTO report, in 2011, “international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time” (UNWTO, 2012). UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai stated this excess of $1 trillion was especially important news given the global economic crisis of 2008, as tourism could help rebuild still-struggling economies, because it is a key export and labour intensive (UNWTO, 2012). 

Four students dressed in formal business attire.

Tourism around the world is now worth over $1 trillion annually, and it’s a growing industry almost everywhere. Regions with the highest growth in terms of tourism dollars earned are the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and Africa. Only the Middle East posted negative growth at the time of the report (UNWTO, 2012).

While North and South America are growing the fastest, Europe continues to lead the way in terms of overall percentage of dollars earned (UNWTO, 2012):

  • Europe (45%)
  • Asia and the Pacific (28%)
  • North and South America (19%)
  • Middle East (4%)

Global industry growth and high receipts are expected to continue. In its August 2014 expenditure barometer, the UNWTO found worldwide visitation had increased by 22 million people in the first half of the year over the previous year, to reach 517 million visits (UNWTO, 2014a). As well, the UNWTO’s  Tourism 2020 Vision predicts that  international arrivals will reach nearly 1.6 billion by 2020 . Read more about the Tourism 2020 Vision : http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/abs/10.18111/9789284403394

Social Impacts

A First Nations totem pole.

In addition to the economic benefits of tourism development, positive social impacts include an increase in amenities (e.g., parks, recreation facilities), investment in arts and culture, celebration of First Nations people, and community pride. When developed conscientiously, tourism can, and does, contribute to a positive quality of life for residents.

However, as identified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2003a), negative social impacts of tourism can include:

  • Change or loss of indigenous identity and values
  • Culture clashes
  • Physical causes of social stress (increased demand for resources)
  • Ethical issues (such as an increase in sex tourism or the exploitation of child workers)

Some of these issues are explored in further detail in Chapter 12, which examines the development of Aboriginal tourism in British Columbia.

Environmental Impacts

Tourism relies on, and greatly impacts, the natural environment in which it operates. Even though many areas of the world are conserved in the form of parks and protected areas, tourism development can have severe negative impacts. According to UNEP (2003b), these can include:

  • Depletion of natural resources (water, forests, etc.)
  • Pollution (air pollution, noise, sewage, waste and littering)
  • Physical impacts (construction activities, marina development, trampling, loss of biodiversity)

The environmental impacts of tourism can reach outside local areas and have an effect on the global ecosystem. One example is increased air travel, which is a major contributor to climate change. Chapter 10 looks at the environmental impacts of tourism in more detail.

Whether positive or negative, tourism is a force for change around the world, and the industry is transforming at a staggering rate. But before we delve deeper into our understanding of tourism, let’s take a look at the development of the sector in our own backyard.

Canada Overview

Origins of tourism in canada.

Tourism has long been a source of economic development for our country. Some argue that as early as 1534 the explorers of the day, such as Jacques Cartier, were Canada’s first tourists (Dawson, 2004), but most agree the major developments in Canada’s tourism industry followed milestones in the transportation sector: by rail, by car, and eventually, in the skies.

Railway Travel: The Ties That Bind

A train.

The dawn of the railway age in Canada came midway through the 19th century. The first railway was launched in 1836 (Library and Archives Canada, n.d.), and by the onset of World War I in 1914, four railways dominated the Canadian landscape: Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), Canadian Northern Railway (CNOR), the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR), and the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP). Unfortunately, their rapid expansion soon brought the last three into near bankruptcy (Library and Archives Canada, n.d.).

In 1923, these three rail companies were amalgamated into the Canadian National Railway (CNR), and together with the CPR, these trans-continentals dominated the Canadian travel landscape until other forms of transportation became more popular. In 1978, with declining interest in rail travel, the CPR and CNR were forced to combine their passenger services to form VIA Rail (Library and Archives Canada, n.d.).

The Rise of the Automobile

The rising popularity of car travel was partially to blame for the decline in rail travel, although it took time to develop. When the first cross-country road trip took place in 1912, there were only 16 kilometres of paved road across Canada (MacEachern, 2012). Cars were initially considered a nuisance, and the National Parks Branch banned entry to automobiles, but later slowly began to embrace them. By the 1930s, some parks, such as Cape Breton Highlands National Park, were actually created to provide visitors with scenic drives (MacEachern, 2012).

It would take decades before a coast-to-coast highway was created, with the Trans-Canada Highway officially opening in Revelstoke in 1962. When it was fully completed in 1970, it was the longest national highway in the world, spanning one-fifth of the globe (MacEachern, 2012).

Early Tourism Promotion

As early as 1892, enterprising Canadians like the Brewsters became the country’s first tour operators, leading guests through areas such as Banff National Park (Brewster Travel Canada, 2014). Communities across Canada developed their own marketing strategies as transportation development took hold. For instance, the town of Maisonneuve in Quebec launched a campaign from 1907 to 1915 calling itself “Le Pittsburg du Canada.” And by 1935 Quebec was spending $250,000 promoting tourism, with Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia also enjoying established provincial tourism bureaus (Dawson, 2004).

National Airlines

Our national airline, Air Canada, was formed in 1937 as Trans-Canada Air Lines. In many ways, Air Canada was a world leader in passenger aviation, introducing the world’s first computerized reservations system in 1963 ( Globe and Mail , 2014). Through the 1950s and 1960s, reduced airfares saw increased mass travel. Competitors including Canadian Pacific (which became Canadian Airlines in 1987) began to launch international flights during this time to Australia, Japan, and South America ( Canadian Geographic, 2000). By 2000, Air Canada was facing financial peril and forced to restructure. A numbered company, owned in part by Air Canada, purchased 82% of Canadian Airline’s shares, with the result of Air Canada becoming the country’s only national airline ( Canadian Geographic, 2000).

Parks and Protected Areas

A look at the evolution of tourism in Canada would be incomplete without a quick study of our national parks and protected areas. The official conserving of our natural spaces began around the same time as the railway boom, and in 1885 Banff was established as Canada’s first national park. By 1911, the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act created the Dominion Parks Branch, the first of its kind in the world (Shoalts, 2011).

The systemic conservation and celebration of Canada’s parks over the next century would help shape Canada’s identity, both at home and abroad. Through the 1930s, conservation officers and interpreters were hired to enhance visitor experiences. By 1970, the National Park System Plan divided Canada into 39 regions, with the goal of preserving each distinct ecosystem for future generations. In 1987, the country’s first national marine park was established in Ontario, and in the 20 years that followed, 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas were created (Shoalts, 2011).

The role of parks and protected areas in tourism is explored in greater detail in Chapter 5 (recreation) and Chapter 10 (environmental stewardship).

Global Shock and Industry Decline

As with the global industry, Canada’s tourism industry was impacted by world events such as the Great Depression and the World Wars.

More recently, global events such as 9/11, the SARS outbreak, and the war in Iraq took their toll on tourism receipts. Worldwide arrivals to Canada dropped 1% to 694 million in 2003, after three years of stagnant growth. In 2005, spending reached $61.4 billion with domestic travel accounting for 71% (Government of Canada, 2006).

Tourism in Canada Today

In 2011, tourism created $78.8 billion in total economic activity and 603,400 jobs. Tourism accounted for more of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) than agriculture, forestry, and fisheries combined (Tourism Industry Association of Canada, 2014).

Spotlight On: The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

Founded in 1930 and based in Ottawa, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) is the national private-sector advocate for the industry. Its goal is to support policies and programs that help the industry grow, while representing over 400 members including airports, concert halls, festivals and events, travel services providers, and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s website : http://tiac.travel/About.html

Unfortunately, while overall receipts from tourism appear healthy, and globally the industry is growing, according to a recent report, Canada’s historic reliance on the US market (which traditionally accounts for 75% of our market) is troubling. Because three out of every four international visitors to Canada originates in the United States, the 55% decline in that market since 2000 is being very strongly felt here. Many feel the decline in American visitors to Canada can be attributed to tighter passport and border regulations, the economic downturn (including the 2008 global economic crisis), and a stronger Canadian dollar (TIAC, 2014).

Despite disappointing numbers from the United States, Canada continues to see strong visitation from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and China. In 2011, we welcomed 3,180,262 tourists from our top 15 inbound countries (excluding the United States). Canadians travelling domestically accounted for 80% of tourism revenues in the country, and TIAC suggested that a focus on rebounding US visitation would help grow the industry (TIAC, 2014).

Spotlight On: The Canadian Tourism Commission

Housed in Vancouver, Destination Canada , previously the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), is responsible for promoting Canada in several foreign markets: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It works with private companies, travel services providers, meeting professionals, and government organizations to help leverage Canada’s tourism brand,  Canada. Keep Exploring . It also conducts research and has a significant image library (Canadian Tourism Commission, 2014). For more information, visit  Destination Canada website : http://en.destinationcanada.com/about-ctc.

As organizations like TIAC work to confront barriers to travel, the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is active abroad, encouraging more visitors to explore our country. In Chapter 8, we’ll delve more into the challenges and triumphs of selling tourism at home and abroad.

The great news for British Columbia is that once in Canada, most international visitors tend to remain in the province they landed in, and BC is one of three provinces that receives the bulk of this traffic (TIAC, 2012). In fact, BC’s tourism industry is one of the healthiest in Canada today. Let’s have a look at how our provincial industry was established and where it stands now.

British Columbia Overview

Origins of tourism in bc.

As with the history of tourism in Canada, it’s often stated that the first tourists to BC were explorers. In 1778, Captain James Cook touched down on Vancouver Island, followed by James Douglas in 1842, a British agent who had been sent to find new headquarters for the Hudson’s Bay Company, ultimately choosing Victoria. Through the 1860s, BC’s gold rush attracted prospectors from around the world, with towns and economies springing up along the trail (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009).

Railway Travel: Full Steam Ahead!

The development of BC’s tourism industry began in earnest in the late 1800s when the CPR built accommodation properties along itsnewly completed trans-Canada route, capturing revenues from overnight stays to help alleviate their increasing corporate debt. Following the 1886 construction of small lodges at stops in Field, Rogers Pass, and Fraser Canyon, the CPR opened the Hotel Vancouver in May 1887 (Dawson, 2004).

As opposed to Atlantic Canada, where tourism promotion centred around attracting hunters and fishermen for a temporary infusion of cash, in British Columbia tourism was seen as a way to lure farmers and settlers to stay in the new province. Industry associations began to form quickly: the Tourist Association of Victoria (TAV) in February 1902, and the Vancouver Tourist Association in June of the same year (Dawson, 2004).

Many of the campaigns struck by these and other organizations between 1890 and 1930 centred on the province’s natural assets, as people sought to escape modern convenience and enjoy the environment. A collaborative group called the Pacific Northwest Travel Association (BC, Washington, and Oregon) promoted “The Pacific Northwest: The World’s Greatest Out of Doors,” calling BC “The Switzerland of North America.” Promotions like these seemed to have had an effect: in 1928, over 370,000 tourists visited Victoria, spending over $3.5 million (Dawson, 2004).

The Great Depression and World War II

As the world’s economy was sent into peril during the Great Depression in the 1930s, tourism was seen as an economic solution. A newly renamed Greater Victoria Publicity Bureau touted a “100 for 1” multiplier effect of tourism spending, with visitor revenues accounting for around 13.5% of BC’s income in 1930. By 1935, an organization known as the TTDA (Tourist Trade Development Association of Victoria and Vancouver Island) looked to create a more stable industry through strategies to increase visitors’ length of stay (Dawson, 2004).

In 1937, the provincial Bureau of Industrial and Tourist Development (BITD) was formed through special legislation with a goal of increasing tourist traffic. By 1938, the organization changed its name to the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau (BCGTB) and was granted a budget increase to $105,000. This was soon followed by an expansion of the BC Tourist Council designed to solicit input from across the province. And in 1939, Vancouver welcomed the King and Queen of England and celebrated the opening of the Lions Gate Bridge, activities that reportedly bolstered tourism numbers (Dawson, 2004).

The December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii had negative repercussions for tourism on the Pacific Rim and was responsible for an era of decreased visitation to British Columbia, despite attempts by some to market the region as exciting. From 1939 to 1943, US visits to Vancouver (measured at the border) dropped from over 307,000 to approximately 183,600. Just two years later, however, that number jumped to 369,250, the result of campaigns like the 1943 initiative aimed at Americans that marketed BC as “comrades in war” (Dawson, 2004).

Post-War Rebound

We, with all due modesty, cannot help but claim that we are entering British Columbia’s half-century, and cannot help but observe that B.C. also stands for BOOM COUNTRY. – Phil Gagliardi, BC Minister of Highways, 1955 (Dawson, 2004, p.190)

A burst of post-war spending began in 1946, and although short-lived, was supported by steady government investment in marketing throughout the 1950s. As tourism grew in BC, however, so did competition for US dollars from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. The decade that followed saw an emphasis on promoting BC’s history, its “Britishness,” and a commodification of Aboriginal culture. The BCGTB began marketing efforts to extend the travel season, encouraging travel in September, prime fishing season. It also tried to push visitors to specific areas, including the Lower Fraser Valley, the Okanagan-Fraser Canyon Loop, and the Kamloops-Cariboo region (Dawson, 2004).

A table setting in a fancy restaurant.

In 1954, Vancouver hosted the British Empire Games, investing in the construction of Empire Stadium. A few years later, an increased emphasis on events and convention business saw the Greater Vancouver Tourist Association change its name in 1962 to the Greater Vancouver Visitors and Convention Bureau (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009).

The ski industry was also on the rise: in 1961, the lodge and chairlift on Tod Mountain (now Sun Peaks) opened, and Whistler followed suit five years later (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009). Ski partners became pioneers of collaborative marketing in the province with the foundation of the Ski Marketing Advisory Committee (SMAC) supported by Tod Mountain and Big White, evolving into today’s Canada’s West Ski Area Association (Magnes, 2010). This pioneer spirit was evident across the ski sector: the entire sport of heliskiing was invented by Hans Gosmer of BC’s Canadian Mountain Holidays, and today the province holds 90% of the world’s heliskiing market share (McLeish, 2014).

The concept of collaboration extended throughout the province as innovative funding structures saw the cost of marketing programs shared between government and industry in BC. These programs were distributed through regional channels (originally eight regions in the province), and considered “the most constructive and forward looking plan of its kind in Canada” (Dawson 2004, p.194).

Tourism in BC continued to grow through the 1970s. In 1971, the Hotel Room Tax Act was introduced, allowing for a 5% tax to be collected on room nights with the funds collected to be put toward marketing and development. By 1978, construction had begun on Whistler Village, with Blackcomb Mountain opening two years later (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009). Funding programs in the late 1970s and early 1980s such as the Canada BC Tourism Agreement (CBCTA) and Travel Industry Development Subsidiary Agreement (TIDSA) allowed communities to invest in projects that would make them more attractive tourism destinations. In the mountain community of Kimberley, for instance, the following improvements were implemented through a $3.1 million forgivable loan: a new road to the ski resort, a covered tennis court, a mountain lodge, an alpine slide, and nine more holes for the golf course (e-Know, 2011).

Around the same time, the “Super, Natural British Columbia” brand was introduced, and a formal bid was approved for Vancouver to host a fair then known as Transpo 86 (later Expo 86). Tourism in the province was about to truly take off.

Expo 86 and Beyond

By the time the world fair Expo 86 came to a close in October 1986, it had played host to 20,111,578 guests. Infrastructure developments, including rapid rail, airport improvements, a new trade and convention centre at Canada Place (with a cruise ship terminal), and hotel construction, had positioned the city and the province for further growth (PricewaterhouseCooopers, 2009). The construction and opening of the Coquihalla Highway through to 1990 enhanced the travel experience and reduced travel times to vast sections of the province (Magnes, 2010).

Take a Closer Look: The Value of Tourism

Tourism Vancouver Island, with the support of many partners, has created a website that directly addresses the value of tourism in the region. The site looks at the economics of tourism, social benefits of tourism, and a “what’s your role?” feature that helps users understand where they fit in. Explore the Tourism Vancouver Island website : http://valueoftourism.ca/.

By 2000, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) was named number one in the world by the International Air Transport Association’s survey of international passengers. Five years later, the airport welcomed a record 16.4 million passengers (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009).

Going for Gold

A crowd of people dressed in red and white Canadian jerseys cheer.

In 2003, the International Olympic Committee named Vancouver/Whistler as the host city for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Infrastructure development followed, including the expansion of the Sea-to-Sky Highway, the creation of Vancouver Convention Centre West, and the construction of the Canada Line, a rapid transport line connecting the airport with the city’s downtown.

As BC prepared to host the Games, its international reputation continued to grow. Vancouver was voted “Best City in the Americas” by Condé Nast Traveller magazine three years in a row. Kelowna was named “Best Canadian Golf City” by Canada’s largest golf magazine, and BC was named the “Best Golf Destination in North America” by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators. Kamloops, known as Canada’s Tournament City, hosted over 100 sports tournaments that same year, and nearby Sun Peaks Resort was named the “Best Family Resort in North America” by the Great Skiing and Snowboarding Guide in 2008 (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009).

By the time the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games took place, over 80 participating countries, 6,000 athletes, and 3 billion viewers put British Columbia on centre stage.

Spotlight On: Destination British Columbia

Destination BC is a Crown corporation founded in November 2012 by the Government of British Columbia. Its mandate includes marketing the province as a tourist destination (at home and around the world), promoting the development and growth of the industry, providing advice and recommendations to the tourism minister on related matters, and enhancing public awareness of tourism and its economic value to British Columbia (Province of British Columbia, 2013b).

Tourism in BC Today

Building on the momentum generated by hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, tourism in BC remains big business. In 2012, the industry generated $13.5 billion in revenue.

The provincial industry is made up of over 18,000 businesses, the majority of which are SMEs (small to medium enterprises), and together they employ approximately 127,300 people (Tourism Industry Association of BC, 2014). It may surprise you to learn that in British Columbia, tourism provides more jobs than high tech, oil and gas, mining, and forestry (Porges, 2014).

Spotlight On: The Tourism Industry Association of BC

Founded in 1993 as the Council of Tourism Associations, today the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) is a not-for-profit trade association comprising members from private sector tourism businesses, industry associations, and destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Its goal is to ensure the best working environment for a competitive tourism industry. It hosts industry networking events and engages in advocacy efforts as “the voice of the BC tourism industry.” Students are encouraged to join TIABC to take advantage of their connections and receive a discount at numerous industry events. For more information, visit the Tourism Industry Association of BC’s website : http://www.tiabc.ca/student-membership

One of the challenges for BC’s tourism industry, it has long been argued, is fragmentation. Back in September 1933, an article in the Victoria Daily Times argued for more coordination across organizations in order to capitalize on what they saw as Canada’s “largest dividend payer” (Dawson, 2004). Today, more than 80 years later, you will often hear BC tourism professionals say the same thing.

On the other hand, some experts believe that the industry is simply a model of diversity, acknowledging that tourism is a compilation of a multitude of businesses, services, organizations, and communities. They see the ways in which these components are working together toward success, rather than focusing on friction between the groups.

Many communities are placing a renewed focus on educating the general public and other businesses about the value of tourism and the ways in which stakeholders work together. The following case study highlights this in more detail:

Take a Closer Look: Tourism Pays in Richmond, BC

The community of Richmond, BC, brings to life the far-reaching positive economic effects of tourism in action. Watch the short video called “Tourism Pays” to see what we mean!: http://vimeo.com/31624689

The entry to a Board Room in the Canadian Tourism College with a small air plane statue outside.

Throughout the rest of this textbook, you’ll have a chance to learn more about the history and current outlook for tourism in BC, with in-depth coverage of some of the triumphs and challenges we’ve faced as an industry. You will also learn about the Canadian and global contexts of the tourism industry’s development.

As we’ve seen in this chapter, tourism is a complex set of industries including accommodation, recreation and entertainment, food and beverage services, transportation, and travel services. It encompasses domestic, inbound, and outbound travel for business, leisure, or other purposes. And because of this large scope, tourism development requires participation from all walks of life, including private business, governmental agencies, educational institutions, communities, and citizens.

Recognizing the diverse nature of the industry and the significant contributions tourism makes toward economic and social value for British Columbians is important. There remains a great deal of work to better educate members of the tourism industry, other sectors, and the public about the ways tourism contributes to our province.

Given this opportunity for greater awareness, it is hoped that students like you will help share this information as you learn more about the sector. So let’s begin our exploration in Chapter 2 with a closer look at a critical sector: transportation.

  • British Columbia Government Travel Bureau ( BCGTB) : the first recognized provincial government organization responsible for the tourism marketing of British Columbia
  • Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) : a national railway company widely regarded as establishing tourism in Canada and BC in the late 1800s and early 1900s
  • Destination BC: the provincial destination marketing organization (DMO) responsible for tourism marketing and development in BC, formerly known as Tourism BC
  • Destination Canada: the national government Crown corporation responsible for marketing Canada abroad, formerly known as the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)
  • Destination marketing organization (DMO):  also known as a destination management organization; includes national tourism boards, state/provincial tourism offices, and community convention and visitor bureaus
  • Diversity: a term used by some in the industry to describe the makeup of the industry in a positive way; acknowledging that tourism is a diverse compilation of a multitude of businesses, services, organizations, and communities
  • Fragmentation: a phenomenon observed by some industry insiders whereby the tourism industry is unable to work together toward common marketing and lobbying (policy-setting) objectives
  • Hospitality:  the accommodations and food and beverage industry groupings
  • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) : a way to group tourism activities based on similarities in business practices, primarily used for statistical analysis
  • Tourism:  the business of attracting and serving the needs of people travelling and staying outside their home communities for business and pleasure
  • Tourism Industry Association of BC ( TIABC) : a membership-based advocacy group formerly known as the Council of Tourism Associations of BC (COTA)
  • Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC): the national industry advocacy group
  • Tourist:  someone who travels at least 80 kilometres from his or her home for at least 24 hours, for business or pleasure or other reasons; can be further classified as domestic, inbound, or outbound
  • United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) : UN agency responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism worldwide
  • List the three types of tourist and provide an example of each.
  • What is the UNWTO? Visit its website, and name one recent project or study the organization has undertaken.
  • List the five industry groups according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Using your  understanding of tourism as an industry, create your own definition and classification of tourism. What did you add? What did you take out? Why?
  • In 2011, how much money was generated by tourism worldwide? What percentage of this money was collected in Europe? Where was the least amount of money collected?
  • According to UNEP, what are the four types of negative environmental tourism impact? For each of these, list an example in your own community.
  • What major transportation developments gave rise to the tourism industry in Canada?
  • Historically, what percentage of international visitors to Canada are from the United States? Why is this an important issue today?
  • Name three key events in the history of BC tourism that resonate with you. Why do you find these events of interest?
  • Watch the video in the “Take a Closer Look” feature on Richmond. Now think about the value of tourism in your community. How might this be communicated to local residents? List two ways you will contribute to communicating the value of tourism this semester. 
  • Choose one article or document from the reference list below and read it in detail. Report back to the class about what you’ve learned.

Case Study: Tourism – Canada’s Surprise Blind Spot

In a 2014 episode of the Voice of Canadian Business , the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s podcast, host Mary Anne Carter sat down with Greg Klassen, the CTC’s president and CEO, and Michele Saran, executive director of Business Events Canada. Their discussion highlighted the reasons Canada is struggling to remain competitive within the sector, and underscores the role and impact Canada’s tourism industry has on the economy.Listen to the 14-minute podcast on tourism in Canada and answer the following questions: www.chamber.ca/media/pictures-videos/140407-podcast-tourism/

  • Why are governments around the world starting to invest in tourism infrastructure? What does this mean for the competitive environment for Canada’s tourism product?
  • How do we compare to the United States as a destination for business travel?
  • According to Greg, why is the $200 million investment in Brand USA a “double-edged sword” for tourism in Canada? What is beneficial about this? Why does it make things more difficult?
  • What is the relationship between tourism and people’s understanding of a country’s image?
  • What ranking is Canada’s brand? What other industries are affected by this brand?
  • Describe one activity the CTC participates in to sell Canadian tourism product abroad.
  • Name two “sectors of excellence” for Canada. Why is the CTC focussing their business events sales strategies on these industries?
  • What does the CTC consider to be the benefits of Vancouver hosting the 2014 and 2015 TED conferences?

Brewster Travel Canada. (2014). About Us – Brewster History . Retrieved from http://www.brewster.ca/corporate/about-brewster/brewster-history/

British Columbia Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training . (2013a). BC Stats: Industry Classification . Retrieved from http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/BusinessIndustry/IndustryClassification.aspx

British Columbia Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. (2013b). Bill 3 – 2013: Destination BC Corp Act . Retrieved from https://www.leg.bc.ca/39th5th/1st_read/gov03-1.htm

Canadian Geographic . (2000, September). Flying through time: Canadian aviation history . Retrieved from http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/so00/aviation_history.asp

Canadian Tourism Commission. (2014). About the CTC. Retrieved from http://en-corporate.canada.travel/about-ctc

Chaney, Edward. (2000). The evolution of the grand tour: Anglo-Italian cultural relations since the Renaissance . Portland OR: Routledge.

Cox & Kings. (2014). About us – History. Retrieved from http://www.coxandkings.co.uk/aboutus-history

Dawson, Michael. (2004). Selling British Columbia: Tourism and consumer culture, 1890-1970 . Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.

Discover Hospitality. (2015). What is hospitality? Retrieved from http://discoverhospitality.com.au/what-is-hospitality/

e-Know. (2011, November). Ogilvie’s past in lock step with last 50 years of Kimberley’s history. Retrieved from www.e-know.ca/news/ogilvie’s-past-in-lock-step-with-last-50-years-of-kimberley’s-history/

Expedia, Inc. (2013). Expedia: Annual report 2013. [PDF] Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/EXPE/3546131959x0x750253/48AF365A-F894-4E9C-8F4A-8AB11FEE8D2A/EXPE_2013_Annual_Report.PDF

Flightglobal. (2002). Sixty years of the jet age. Retrieved from http://www.flightglobal.com/features/jet-age/

Globe and Mail, The. (2014, March 28). Ten things you don’t know about Air Canada. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/travel-news/10-things-you-likely-dont-know-about-air-canada/article17725796/?page=all

Government of Canada. (2006). Building a national tourism strategy. [PDF] Retrieved from https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/034.nsf/vwapj/tourism_e.pdf/$FILE/tourism_e.pdf

Government of Canada. (2013, July 5). Appendix E: Tourism industries in the human resource module . Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/13-604-m/2013072/appe-anne-eng.htm

Griffiths, Ralph, Griffiths, G. E. (1772). Pennant’s tour in Scotland in 1769. The Monthly Review; or, Literary Journal XLVI : 150 . Retrieved from Google Books . 

Gyr, Ueli. (2010, December 3). The history of tourism: Structures on the path to modernity. European History Online (EHO). Retrieved from http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/europe-on-the-road/the-history-of-tourism

Latin definition for hospes, hospitis. (2014).In Latdict – Latin Dictionary and Grammar Resources .  Retrieved from http://www.latin-dictionary.net/definition/22344/hospes-hospitis

Library and Archives Canada. (n.d.). Ties that bind: Essay.   A brief history of railways in Canada.  Retrieved from http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/trains/021006-1000-e.html

LinkBC. (2008). Transforming communities through tourism: A handbook for community tourism champions. [PDF] Retrieved from http://linkbc.ca/siteFiles/85/files/TCTT.pdf

MacEachern, A. (2012, August 17). Goin’ down the road: The story of the first cross-Canada car trip. The Globe and Mail . Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/goin-down-the-road-the-story-of-the-first-cross-canada-car-trip/article4487425/

McLeish. (2014, July 23). History of heliskiing in Canada. Retrieved from www.lastfrontierheli.com/news/1607/history-of-heliskiing-in-canada/

Magnes, W. (2010, May 26). The evolution of British Columbia’s tourism regions: 1970-2010 [PDF] . Retrieved from http://linkbc.ca/siteFiles/85/files/LinkBCMagnesPaper2011.pdf

Porges, R. (2014, September). Tell me something I don’t know: Promoting the value of tourism. Tourism Drives the Provincial Economy . Presentation hosted by the Tourism Industry Association of BC, Vancouver, BC.

PricewaterhouseCooopers, LLC. (2009). Opportunity BC 2020: Tourism sector. [PDF] Prepared for the BC Business Council. Retrieved from http://www.bcbc.com/content/558/2020_200910_Mansfield_Tourism.pdf

Shoalts, A. (2011, April). How our national parks evolved: From Grey Owl to Chrétien and beyond, 100 years of Parks Canada.   Canadian Geographic . Retrieved from http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/apr11/national_parks_evolution.asp

Theobald, William F. (1998).  Global Tourism (2nd ed.). Oxford, England: Butterworth–Heinemann, pp. 6-7.

Thomas Cook Group of Companies. (2014). Thomas Cook history. Retrieved from http://www.thomascook.com/thomas-cook-history/

Tourism Industry Association of BC. (2014). Value of tourism toolkit: Why focus on the value of tourism?  Retrieved from http://www.tiabc.ca/value-of-tourism-toolkit

Tourism Industry Association of Canada. (2014, October 14). Travel industry poised to boost Canadian exports: US market and border efficiencies central to growth potential . Retrieved from http://tiac.travel/cgi/page.cgi/_zine.html/TopStories/Travel_Industry_Poised_to_Boost_Canadian_Exports_US_Market_and_Border_Efficiencies_Central_to_Growth_Potential

Tourism Industry Association of Canada, HLT Advisory. (2012). The Canadian tourism industry: A special report [PDF] . Retrieved from http://www.hlta.ca/reports/The_Canadian_Tourism_Industry_-_A_Special_Report_Web_Optimized_.pdf

United Nations and World Tourism Organization. (1995). Recommendations on tourism statistics. [PDF] Retrieved from http://unstats.un.org/unsd/newsletter/unsd_workshops/tourism/st_esa_stat_ser_M_83.pdf

United Nations Environment Programme. (2003a). Negatives Socio-cultural impacts from tourism . Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/Socio-CulturalImpacts/NegativeSocio-CulturalImpactsFromTourism/tabid/78781/Default.aspx

United Nations Environment Programme. (2003b). Tourism’s three main impact areas. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/TheTourismandEnvironmentProgramme/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/EnvironmentalImpacts/TourismsThreeMainImpactAreas/tabid/78776/Default.aspx

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2008). Understanding tourism: Basic glossary . Retrieved from http://media.unwto.org/en/content/understanding-tourism-basic-glossary

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2012, May 7). International tourism receipts surpass US$ 1 trillion in 2011. Retrieved from http://media.unwto.org/en/press-release/2012-05-07/international-tourism-receipts-surpass-us-1-trillion-2011

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2014a). UNWTO world tourism barometer, 12 [PDF] (1). Retrieved from http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_barom14_04_august_excerpt_0.pdf

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2014b). Who we are. Retrieved from http://www2.unwto.org/content/who-we-are-0

Attributions

Figure 1.1  Selkirk College and Nelson  by LinkBC  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.2   Capilano University’s Team   by LinkBC  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.3   Vancouver Island University   by LinkBC  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.4  Canadian Pacific 4-4-0 A-2-m No 136  by  Peter Broster  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.5   Vancouver Island University   by LinkBC  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.6   Switzerland vs. Canada   by s.yume  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Figure 1.7   CTC’s Boardroom   by LinkBC  is used under a  CC-BY 2.0  license.

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC Copyright © 2015 by Capilano University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle, Nagano, Japan

A Brief History of Travel and Tourism

Utilizing the widest definition of the word, human beings have been travelling since the dawn of time. No matter one’s beliefs about the creation of humans, everyone can agree our species began in some single locale, likely Africa or the Middle East , and ‘travelled’ outwards, settling new lands. However, most of this ‘travel’ was done out of necessity and war, often without the intent of return. It wouldn’t be until Antiquity, or the glory days of the Greek and Roman empires, that tourism, or leisure travel, would be introduced.

history of tourism industry

Aristocratic Tourism

In those days, tourism was a privilege almost entirely confined to the wealthy, who travelled largely for cultural exploration. One has to remember, the Greek and Roman upper classes were people who prided themselves on artistic, scientific, and philosophical pursuits. It follows, then, that these early travellers largely sought to learn the arts, languages, and cultures of their destinations.

history of tourism industry

Soon enough, travelling for leisure’s sake began to gain popularity; from the Roman Empire arises some of the earliest examples of travel resorts and spas in the world. Though they documented their experiences most thoroughly, the elite Europeans were not the only ones travelling in ancient times. In eastern Asia , it was popular for nobles to travel across the countryside for the religious and cultural experience it offered, oftentimes stopping at temples and sacred sites during their travels.

Roman Forum, Rome

Religious Tourism

During the Middle Ages, travel took on a new meaning. Although leisurely travel was still reserved for the upper class, it became more and more common for members of the upper and even lower classes to embark on pilgrimages. Most of the major religions at the time, including the Islamic, Judaic, and Christian traditions, encouraged their practitioners to conduct pilgrimages.

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Largely unaided by technology, most of these journeys were done on foot, often occasionally with a beast of burden to carry supplies. The wealthy were able to afford other forms of travel including horseback and ship. Furthermore, the Middle Ages saw the emergence of connected shipping routes. As ports grew, travel opportunities increased, and the dock was typically the start of any long-distance travel during the Middle Ages.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The Grand Tour

Travel continued to exist in this way for some time: the rich travelled primarily for cultural and leisure reasons, while the poor travelled largely for religious reasons, if at all. The next major development travel underwent was the establishment of the Grand Tour. Undertaken by the elite men of Western and Northern European countries , the Grand Tour took young travellers across Europe in a “rite of passage” meant to educate the wealthy after they finished their education but before adulthood. Historians cite this tradition as the origin of the modern tourism industry and indicate that the tradition had become well established in European culture by the 1660s.

history of tourism industry

Like many traditions, the Grand Tour eventually developed a rigid structure. Tourists were expected to follow a set itinerary and travelled with a tutor. The Grand Tour typically began in England, moved south through France into Switzerland and Italy. After spending a few months in Italy, the traveller and his tutor moved upwards through Germany and into Holland before returning to England. These trips utilized the most advanced travel technology of the day, including ships and collapsable coaches, and it wasn’t entirely uncommon for the traveller and tutor to be waited on by a handful of servants.

In side of Notre-Dame Cathedral - Lausanne, Switzerland

Tourism For The Masses

The Grand Tour remained a popular cultural phenomenon amongst the rich until the 1840s, which saw the advent of the first widespread railway system across system Europe. Immediately, this innovation opened the possibility of embarking on a Grand Tour to the middle classes, and soon it became more popular for middle and even working-class citizens to travel for leisure.

Restored steam train of Durango & Silverton RR. Integral in the History of Travel and Tourism

More importantly, the implementation of railway systems across Europe and the United States positioned the world for the Industrial Revolution. The United Kingdom is often cited as the first country to actively promote leisure time to its industrial class, and as a result, the country had a strong impact on the early development of the tourism industry. One hugely influential player in the history of travel and tourism was Englishmen Thomas Cook, who established the first-ever travel agency to provide ‘inclusive individual travel’ in the 1840s.

Thomas Cook Building, Leicester

This means that travellers move independently in their travels, but all the food, lodging, and travel expenses were set at a fixed price for a predetermined length of time. This allowed travellers to take any route they fancied throughout Europe without having to ascertain food or lodging ahead of time. This fact, coupled with the falling ticket prices of railways, meant that long-distance travel was dramatically cheaper and faster than ever before. This not only further lowered the barriers to leisure travel but also drastically increased the incidences of business-related travel. As one can imagine, Cook’s Tours became massively popular, and the company remains successful today as the Thomas Cook Group.

Historic Covers of Thomas Cook's Continental Timetable

In short, the introduction of a widespread railway system gifted a massive boost to the tourism industry; this boon would largely reflect that the aeroplane would have in the early-20th century. More so than any other technological development, the aeroplane opened the floodgates of mass international tourism. Behemoth multinational airlines such as Pan Am, Delta, and American Airlines arose during the 1900s, and suddenly the physical boundaries between cities were rendered useless. It has become possible for a traveller to get nearly anywhere on the globe in less than 48 hours, for a price that most middle and working-class members can achieve.

Pan Am Holiday pamphlet for destination New Zealand

Today, travel stands as one of the most economically important leisure activities in the world. The tourism market is so large that it has split into an astounding number of niche markets, including ecotourism , backpacking, and historical tourism. As of the writing of this article, there have even been a handful of trips into orbit around Earth branded as “space tourism”, a new and exciting chapter in the history of travel and tourism. The story of tourism displays a remarkable connection to the technology that makes travel possible. Transportation innovations like the train and aeroplane have eliminated the difficulties and lowered the costs of long-distance travel, and planet Earth has truly become a smaller place because of it.

Main tower of the Himeji Castle, Japan. A UNESCO World Heritage Site

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE TOURISM SECTOR

history of tourism industry

25 Aug THE EVOLUTION OF THE TOURISM SECTOR

Tourism has evolved hand-in-hand with changing technology, communications and marketing practices.

While in 1950 the world welcomed 25 million international tourists, according to UNWTO data, by 2019 this had increased to 1.5 billion.

The massive increase in the number of people joining the middle classes globally, along with the falling cost of travelling, the emergence of low-cost airlines, and the rise of the internet and its impact on both social interactions and business models, are among the main factors behind the increase in tourist numbers.

  • Thanks to the internet, almost everyone can easily buy a plane or train ticket, often at a low cost.
  • The creation of new companies and market niches help consumers access travel in a more efficient and simple way, eliminating third parties. Travel agencies are being left in the background because of this.
  • New accommodation and transportation platforms have also increased levels of competition and lowered costs for tourists.

So, what was seen as a luxury available to just a small few in 1950 had by 2020 become an achievable aspiration for a large number of people in every part of the world.

While the situation for tourism in 2021 is characterized by its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector continues to adapt  in order to restart and grow back stronger and more sustainably.

Ancient Origins

Tourism Through the Ages: The Human Desire to Explore

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Although taking a summer vacation is now a standard aspect of modern-day civilization for many, it wasn’t always that way. Tourism was far less common in ancient times than it is today, but that certainly doesn’t mean it didn’t occur at all. Even in ancient times, people had a natural curiosity about the world around them and yearned to explore. 

However, tourism didn’t necessarily look the same then as it does now. So what did tourism look like, and where did ancient peoples like to travel the most? What was the perception of tourists in ancient times versus today? 

What was Ancient Tourism Like?

Tourism as we think of it has not always existed. In fact, travel was not possible for most people in ancient times. Travel was often difficult and full of dangers such as disease , starvation, dehydration, or death by wild animals. Because of this, travel was often seen as too risky unless absolutely necessary, such as for relocation, or religious, political, or medical purposes. 

However, travel did still happen. Armies would travel to take over new lands or conquer new cities. Tradesmen would travel to popular trade spots throughout their countries to sell goods for profits, while others would travel there to buy utilitarian or luxury items for their homes. Others would travel for important religious ceremonies that they were required to attend. Travel of this nature was considered a need within society, rather than a want, so not tourism as such. 

Lydgate and Pilgrims to Canterbury. Early ‘tourism’ was frequently for religious ceremonies and pilgrimages. (Jim Forest / CC BY NC ND 2.0)

Lydgate and Pilgrims to Canterbury. Early ‘tourism’ was frequently for religious ceremonies and pilgrimages. (Jim Forest / CC BY NC ND 2.0 )

As time went on, technology advanced. With the expansion of roads and the development of more efficient travel using boats , chariots , and carriages, travel for leisure, or tourism, became an intriguing possibility. However, many individuals struggled with the same tourism questions we do today: if they could even afford to travel, and if they could, where they would go. 

Early tourists tended to avoid cities with political or civil unrest as it could be dangerous in the event of an uprising. It’s unsurprising these would be eliminated as tourism destinations . They would also avoid cities their own regions had hostility towards, as that was also considered risky business. They would instead choose regions that were not known to be dangerous, just to see what was out there. 

Although technological advancements made travel easier than walking or horseback, it was still perilous and time-consuming. Travelers would often bring small weapons for protection, along with any money they planned to spend. Travel would take from a few days to a few weeks (or even a few months!), depending on how far they planned to venture out. This also meant having to take preserved food with them to last the journey, or knowing where to stop along the way to find food when hungry. There were few to no establish tourism ‘rest stops’ in ancient times.

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The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (artbalitskiy / Adobe Stock)

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ( artbalitskiy / Adobe Stock)

Tourism Destinations of the Ancient World

There were many tourism destinations available in ancient times, but some were more popular than others. Particularly, ancient tourists enjoyed tourism spots that served multiple purposes. This started as early as the times of the ancient Egyptians , who often traveled for government activities but would stay in foreign areas longer than necessary to enjoy the local shops, restaurants, games, and other forms of entertainment. 

This desire to stay abroad for entertainment continued with the Roman Empire. The Romans developed a system of roads that covered approximately 50,000 miles, in order to make travel easier. At the time, traveling 30 miles would take about a day, and they used that information to establish an inn system. Through this system, an inn would be placed approximately every 30 miles, so that you always knew you had a place to rest in the evenings as you traveled out. 

With more tourism establishments like inns along the roads , travel felt safer as well. There would be more people present in case of an emergency, and a lower chance of running out of food or water. The risk of natural predators would be lower as well, since travel would no longer take place through endless plains or overgrown wilderness. The Roman system became so well-established that people from surrounding areas would visit Rome, just to see the roads, inns, and other established infrastructure. 

Language and currency were an important part of tourism at this time as well. If your destination used a different currency or spoke a different language, you would likely be a bit reserved about spending much time there (if any time at all!). As a result, common tourism areas did business in several common languages, so they could be more inclusive of visitors and receive more tourism.

Tourism in the Middle Ages: Risky Business

After the fall of the Roman Empire , tourism was not the same. In fact, tourism hardly happened at all anymore because there was too much risk involved. Nations were at war with one another, and traveling to a new place meant inevitable danger for the traveler and their family. Lots of the efficient transportation infrastructure were now destroyed, and languages were more separated than ever. 

Travel returned to being a necessity rather than a vacation. Religious and political motives were the primary causes of any travel, as nations attempted to overtake one another. Trade routes had to be re-established, although many were still unwilling to risk the trek. It wasn’t until Marco Polo took the risk and began to write about his solo tourism in the 13th century that people began taking interest in exploration again. 

By the Renaissance , trade began to take hold once more, and so merchants were willing to travel further than before. Additional trade and tourism businesses opened, and commercialism steadily increased, especially in Europe. People that would visit these trading posts to purchase new and luxury goods would wonder what the rest of the world was like, especially the sources of their favorite goods. This then ushered in the Grand Tour Era. 

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Exotic new products entering Renaissance markets fed a desire for tourism, Jan van Kessel the Elder 1650-1660 (Public Domain)

Exotic new products entering Renaissance markets fed a desire for tourism, Jan van Kessel the Elder 1650-1660 ( Public Domain )

The Grand Tour Era: Tourism for the Rich and Famous

The Grand Tour Era, as can be assumed by its name, was a major point in history for tourism. Between 1613 and 1785, the Grand Tour Era established tourism as a norm throughout many societies. However, it wasn’t always easy. Traveling at this time was mostly reserved for the upper classes, as travel and lodging had increased in price due to high demand. Rooms that could be provided for an average family were instead reserved for those able to pay the most.

Tourism was also held in high regard at this time because it was often used as a form of education. The children of the wealthy would travel abroad to gain an understanding of the world around them, making them more knowledgeable and well-rounded. Someone who’d had the opportunity to engage in tourism was seen as having a higher status than most, since they were perceived as more educated. 

The most popular tourism regions at this time included Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland. Europeans would often travel to these countries by carriage because it was more comfortable. Their carriage would be driven by an experienced chauffeur familiar with the routes, to make travel as efficient as possible. Tourists would frequently bring someone with them that would care for them, whether a servant or a more experienced traveler. 

British Gentlemen in Rome, circa 1750 (Public Domain)

British Gentlemen in Rome, circa 1750 ( Public Domain )

Ushering in a New Era: The Industrial Revolution to Modern Times

Towards the end of the 18th century, tourism faced new challenges. The Industrial Revolution had changed tourism forever. Since people had more stable employment, they couldn’t take off for long periods of time to travel. Workers were stuck in their factories and businesses all week, unable to leave without jeopardizing the entire organization. Teamwork was essential and left no flexibility for vacationing. 

However, the Industrial Revolution also helped people to travel more easily too. With new technology, travel became more efficient. Plus, for many workers, higher salaries contributed to their ability to go on a nice vacation. Additionally, business trips were increasing, to open more businesses and factories. 

After several decades tied down to work and missing out on tourism experiences, workers began tiring of their overworked schedules. With more money came greater desire to expand one’s worldview. Planes, cars, and boats could be used to travel more quickly and comfortably than before. Office jobs also became more popular for their greater flexibility, and paychecks began to be used to see the world. 

A 1922 Thomas Cook ad for a three-week trip on the Nile for £70 ($80) (Public Domain)

A 1922 Thomas Cook ad for a three-week trip on the Nile for £70 ($80) ( Public Domain )

At this point, tourism became an essential part of a fulfilling life. Countries such as France became hot spots for tourism because they had advanced technology and roads compared to other regions. Thomas Cook, an English businessman, inspired those without tourism experience to take a leap and go on an adventure. Later, paid work leave established for many in the 20th century ensured that more families could take the time to travel. It was the biggest increase in tourism since the Grand Tour Era.

Throughout the 20th century, hotels and motels became more common businesses worldwide, further fueling the tourism industry. Later, the development of credit cards helped lower-income families afford vacations more easily. Credit cards also helped universalize currency, so traveling between countries and buying necessities became more efficient. In the 21st century, traveling has become more accessible than ever. 

1957 postcard showing tourism airline interior (Joe Haupt / CC BY SA 2.0)

1957 postcard showing tourism airline interior (Joe Haupt / CC BY SA 2.0 )

Tourism Today: Roadside Attractions, Cruises, #VanLife, and more

Tourism in ancient times could be difficult, but those early tourists certainly made the most of it. Today, travel and tourism are certainly much simpler than they were back then. There is more available information about different countries that can be considered before taking a trip, and most frequent travelers are looking for more than just new scenery. Tourism agencies now seek to put together packages for those looking for adventure, romance, or knowledge. 

The biggest difference between ancient and modern tourism is purpose. While ancient people traveled as a way to learn about the world around them, modern tourists seek to gather and savor experiences. Experiencing new places and cultures is more fulfilling than simply learning about the place online. If nothing else, travel nowadays is certainly much more efficient and luxurious than ever before. After all, aren’t you glad you don’t have to take a chariot everywhere?

Top image: Vintage postcard showing European tourism destinations. Source: Freesurf /Adobe Stock

By Lex Leigh

A Historical View of Tourism . Study.com. (n.d.). Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/a-historical-view-of-tourism.html

Gyr, U. (December 13, 2010). The History of Tourism: Structures on the Path to Modernity . EGO. Available at: http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/europe-on-the-road/the-history-of-tourism/ueli-gyr-the-history-of-tourism

Rodriguez, C. P. (June 16, 2020). Travelling for Pleasure: A Brief History of Tourism . Europeana. Available at: https://www.europeana.eu/en/blog/travelling-for-pleasure-a-brief-history-of-tourism

Stainton, H. (May 27, 2022). The Fascinating History of Tourism . Tourism Teacher. Available at:   https://tourismteacher.com/history-of-tourism-2/

Tourism . (n.d.) Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/tourism

Lex Leigh's picture

Lex Leigh is a former educator with several years of writing experience under her belt. She earned her BS in Microbiology with a minor in Psychology. Soon after this, she earned her MS in Education and worked as a secondary... Read More

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Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)

Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type

Number of monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list as of September 2023, by type

Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2023

Number of Michelin-starred restaurants in selected countries and territories worldwide as of July 2023

Online travel market

  • Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030
  • Premium Statistic Estimated revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2022, by device
  • Premium Statistic Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads
  • Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030

Online travel market size worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2022, by device

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide in 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR

Revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of leading online travel companies worldwide from 2020 to 2022

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of selected leading online travel companies worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023

Selected trends

  • Premium Statistic Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022
  • Premium Statistic Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region
  • Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
  • Premium Statistic Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023
  • Premium Statistic Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022
  • Premium Statistic Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022

Share of travelers that believe sustainable travel is important worldwide in 2022

Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region

Main sustainable initiatives travelers are willing to adopt worldwide in 2022, by region

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023

Nights and experiences booked with Airbnb from 2017 to 2023 (in millions)

Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022

Technologies hotels are most likely to implement in the next three years worldwide as of 2022

Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Must-have hotel technologies to create a more amazing stay in the future among travelers worldwide as of 2022

  • Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment
  • Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028
  • Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
  • Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment

Revenue of the global travel and tourism market from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2018 to 2028

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

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The History of Tourism

history of tourism industry

When the average person thinks of the word tourism , it generally conjures up thoughts of picturesque landscapes, kitschy attractions, sprawling beaches and new experiences. Although it has grown into an enormous industry– one that is vital to many national and local economies– the basic concept behind tourism is relatively simple. The idea behind the business of tourism is relatively simple: people always have and always will want to visit new places .

history of tourism industry

Tourism is essentially the concept of travel– generally for pleasure, but not always– and the business of accommodating this travel. It could be travel to another town only a few miles away, or to an entirely new country that takes hours to reach. It could be a day-trip to somewhere relatively familiar or a month-long trek to a strange, faraway land.

The Importance of Tourism

Although the modern industry of tourism is sophisticated and global, the simple idea of it stretches back hundreds of years. In fact, the word tourist was first known to be used in 1772, and tourism was first used to describe this idea in 1811. It is a significant and vital source of income for many regions, and tourism accounts for 30% of the world’s global trade services and 6% of overall exports of goods and services.

Tourism comprises a number of industries and services like hospitality, transportation, cruises, amusement parks and essentially anything that draws a person to a certain region– as well as the means for getting there. If you book a tour with Go New York Tours or reserve a hotel in Florida, you are engaging one of the world’s most critical enterprises.

But while modern tourism has grown into something large and meaningful, the basic concept remains the same, and the history of tourism dates back as far as the first person who travelled outside of his local area for leisure.

Ancient Tourism

The first known examples of our idea of tourism actually dates back to the height of the Roman Empire. During this period, wealthy people had time to spend and the means to travel, and they began to explore the empire that comprised all of the Western World at that time. These citizens often traveled the empire to experience new cultures, see great buildings, visit the famous spas, learn new things and try leisurely explore unfamiliar areas.

The Roman Empire essentially connected the entire known world in a similar fashion that the internet and our global systems connect us today. It provided citizens with a unique opportunity to travel to strange and distant lands without leaving the safety, sophistication, laws or language of Rome.

Medieval Tourism

With the fall of the Roman Empire came the loss of this interconnectivity, and the Western World fell into the Dark Ages. However, as the great religions of the world began to grow and become established, people again had reason to travel and visit new lands. Unlike the wealthy leisure travel of Roman times, even the lower classes could participate in the religious pilgrimages that would come to define travel during this period.

Christians, Buddhists and Muslims all had reasons to travel to their own respective holy lands and shrines, and this allowed the growth of a primitive type of tourism industry. Inns profited from the travelling guests; knights and mercenaries provided protection to pilgrims; and businesses within the destinations profited the most. The best example we have of this kind of Medieval tourism is in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, one of the oldest and most important pieces of literature that was purely English.

Renaissance Tourism

history of tourism industry

Following the religious pilgrimages of the Middle Ages, a newfound interest in classical art and ideas sparked a new reason for wealthy individuals to travel. People began to travel to Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean areas to see for themselves the art, architecture and history that defined the Western World.

Perhaps the earliest example of our modern concept of tourism can be dated back to a traditional trip around Europe– taken by wealthy young European men and known as the Grand Tour . The tour included trips to specific spots on a standard itinerary that included Germany, Italy and much of Europe.

Modern Tourism

Our modern-day tourism began as the world became more industrialized. Grand travel infrastructures that included roads, carriages and ferries began to pop up, as well as hotels and other accommodating businesses. It was during the 1960s– with the growth of the American middle class and disposable incomes– that we truly began to see the industry we know as tourism take shape.

Some might say that the beuty of tourism is lost with people obsessed with social media looking to get  spotify plays from real people  on their playlists in every town they go to or instagram likes the world over. Some may say it has died. BUT when you see an  increase telegram members now . as an ode to a lost era of communication, you can appreciate that some people are still in it for the right reasons and want to experience their bit of tourism history when writing back to mum.

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Tourism History

The history of the ministry of tourism, the early years.

The Bahamas first recognized the potential of a tourism industry way back in the middle of the last century when its Government passed a Tourism Encouragement Act in 1851. This was followed by a second act passed in 1854. A third act passed in 1857 authorized the Government to purchase land to allow the construction of a “grand hotel”.

In 1859 the government of the day entered into a business relationship with Samuel Cunard, the owner of the famous steamship line, to guarantee regular service to the islands at an annual cost of three thousand pounds. In 1861 a high quality hotel located in Nassau (which became the famous Royal Victoria Hotel) was opened after its construction had been financed by the Government at a cost of 25 thousand pounds. Little happened after the end of the US civil war and it wasn’t until 1873 The Bahamas received 500 tourists a year.

In 1898 the Government once again passed legislation designed to stimulate its tourism industry and in 1900 Henry Flagler opened The Hotel Colonial in Fort Nassau, the first beachfront hotel in the country and on the site of the present British Colonial Hotel. Flagler also started his own steamship line to transport tourists between Florida and Nassau.

A Tourism Development Board was set up in 1914 which had the power to advertise and market The Bahamas with an annual budget of three thousand pounds, this being the forerunner of today’s Ministry of Tourism. The first air service to Nassau commenced in 1919 with the introduction by Chalk’s of seaplane service between Florida and The Bahamas.

This led to the beginnings of tourism in The Out Islands with the opening of the Bimini Rod and Gun Club in 1924. Pan American added its daily air service between Florida and Nassau in 1929.

During the 1920s the tourism industry saw spectacular growth with the rebuilding of the British Colonial Hotel in 1923, after it had been destroyed by fire, and the construction of the Hotel Fort Montague in 1926. The solid growth of the 1920s came to a halt during the great depression of the 1930s and the tourism industry of The Bahamas, along with other economic activity, stagnated.

Between the 1850s and 1930s the overall economy of The Bahamas had mirrored that of tourism, showing sharp bursts of activity followed by long periods of economic stagnation. In the early 1860s Nassau had been one of the main centers for blockade running into the southern states during the Civil War and during those war years The Bahamas saw substantial revenues as a result of that traffic.

This came to a sudden stop with the end of the war in 1865. In the late nineteenth century the islands invested heavily in pineapple plantations but this success was short lived as production switched to Hawaii which offered better quality at lower costs.

In the 1920s, the era of prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the United States, Nassau was a center for rum running and again profited substantially from revenues derived from that trade. Though not spoken loudly some of the islands’ most influential families can trace their wealth back to this period. But once prohibition was repealed in 1933 this economic activity collapsed.

The economic difficulties of The Bahamas in the 1930s were compounded by the collapse of the Bahamian natural sponging industry in 1938 when the sponge crop was wiped out by disease, similar to the “red tide”.

Natural sponges, which grow in shallow water under the sea, were widely used for personal washing and other purposes prior to the introduction of synthetic sponges and this had proved to be a lucrative source of income for many Bahamians.

The Government commits to developing a year round tourism industry The 1930s had shown the potential of a viable tourism industry. In 1938 The Bahamas received 57,394 tourists of whom 10,000 were stayovers. In 1941 Pan Am had begun its first nonstop non seaplane service between Florida and Nassau.

So it was that in the late 1940s, following the end of the Second World War, the Government looked back at its economic history of short lived booms followed by desperate slumps and decided it would develop two primary areas of economic activity, first a year round tourism industry and second an offshore financial services sector, in an attempt to create a stable economy. In 1949 The Bahamas received just 32,000 tourists. It should be remembered that at that time tourism was limited to a short three to four month season and appealed just to affluent visitors from the USA and Europe escaping bad winter weather.

In 1949 the Government passed a Hotels Encouragement Act (substantially amended in 1954) designed to stimulate the construction of hotels by offering refund of custom duties and other similar concessions.

In 1950 Sir Stafford Sands, a leading member of the island’s Government, revived the Tourism Development Board, gave it a budget of $500,000 which it used for extensive advertising and the opening of five overseas offices in North America and Europe.

During the 1950s a number of new hotels were built and The Bahamas capitalized upon the growing economy of the USA next door to generate more business. In 1950 the country received 51,975 visitors, in 1951 76,758, in 1953 99,867, and 142,689 by 1954.

In Grand Bahama Billy Butlin, a British entrepreneur, bought a substantial amount of land at the western end of the island and developed a 250 room hotel designed to cater to middle income Americans. It quickly failed, but was reopened in 1955. In 1959 it became part of the Jack Tar group of hotels and closed again in the 1970s.

It should be mentioned that Nassau’s industry suffered a hiccup in 1958 when a strike by taxi cab drivers in Nassau escalated into a 19 day general strike which caused large numbers of tourists to cancel their trips.

The 1960′s and beyond

The main stimulus to the tourism industry however was the imposition of the trade embargo by the United States government on Cuba in 1961 as a result of Castro’s overthrow of the Batista government and his subsequent nationalization of American assets in Cuba. The imposition of this embargo essentially prevented Americans from travelling to Cuba and forced the tourism industry of the time to find alternative destinations. In the late 1950s Cuba had been an enormously popular vacation destination for Americans with its casinos and nightlife. As a result of the ban in travel to Cuba much of this traffic switched to The Bahamas.

The Hawksbill Creek Agreement. In 1946 Wallace Groves purchased a lumber company in Grand Bahama Island and began to expand its operation. In 1954 he sold this company to the National Container Corporation (which later became part of the Owens Illinois Company) and created the Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd. Groves’ idea was to create a major port and industrial centre on Grand Bahama. In August 1955 Groves and The Government of The Bahamas signed the Hawksbill Creek Agreement under which the Grand Bahama Port Authority was committed to create a port and industrial community and was granted title of 50,000 acres of crown land.

The agreement guaranteed that here would be no import duties, stamp duties etc. for a period of 99 years and that for 30 years there would be no real estate taxes personal property taxes etc.. The Government allowed the Port Authority to administer the port area and to license businesses etc., thus becoming more or less government by contract.

In the late 1950s a deep water port was created and work started on downtown Freeport in 1959. However Grand Bahama did not succeed in creating the industrial community it planned and in the early 1960s gained permission to develop a tourism industry based on the opening of casinos. The Lucayan Beach Hotel was opened in 1963 with its casino. This was quickly followed by the construction of a 500 room Holiday Inn, also at Lucaya, and the 800 room Kings Inn (later known as the Princess Hotel) this latter also with a casino.

The Late 1960s. Nassau soon followed and casinos were opened on Paradise Island and Nassau by the end of the 1960s. By 1968 the country had experienced its first one million-visitor year. So the country saw substantial growth between 1949 and 1968, with the visitor count growing from 32,000 visitors a year to one million. Also in 1967 the ruling minority led party was defeated by the Progressive Liberal Party in a general election.

In 1969 the leader of the PLP Sir Lynden Pindling made a famous speech in Freeport, Grand Bahama pledging that Grand Bahama would either bend to the wishes of the new majority led Government or it would be broken. Investment dried up and the island’s tourism industry entered a period of stagnation.

It should be noted that the underlying causes for the substantial growth in tourism in the 1950s and 1960s were perhaps not fully understood at the time.

Yes the Government had aggressively pursued a policy of active development of tourism with the establishment of its Tourism Development Board and the introduction of the Hotels Encouragement Acts of 1949 and 1954. And yes the Government had marketed the destination aggressively during the 1960s. And yes the islands offered a wonderful climate, wonderful beaches and water and were in close proximity to the coast of Florida.

But, at the same time, it tended to be forgotten that there was a strong expansion in the US and world economies as they recovered from the war, resulting in dramatic improvements in the standard of living, and this, combined with the introduction of economical long haul jet service, led to substantial overall increases in international vacation travel. At the same time many other countries in the Caribbean were ignoring tourism as a source of economic activity preferring instead to rely on agriculture, mining or oil income, so competition was very limited.

Finally, of course, there was the unforeseen and beneficial transfer of business from Cuba which also fueled the expansion of the Bahamian tourism industry.

The 1970s Unfortunately many of the favorable underpinnings of the 1950s and 1960s unraveled in the 1970s. In 1968 The Bahamas had achieved majority rule with the election of the Lynden Pindling Progressive Liberal Party and by 1973 The Islands of The Bahamas had achieved independence from the United Kingdom and became a self-governing country.

This created uncertainty in the investment community and a number of investors pulled out forcing the Government to take over a number of hotels and attempt to operate them itself in an effort to maintain employment levels. At the same time Bahamas Airways collapsed in 1970, to be replaced by Bahamas World Airways which in turn failed in 1972. Bahamasair was created in 1973.

Another result was that local attitudes amongst some service personnel worsened as many in the population felt that a service-based economy was inappropriate for their newly independent status. Many found it difficult to distinguish between providing service and a feeling of servitude. During the same period the world experienced its first oil crisis when the price of oil quadrupled as a result of the actions of OPEC, this leading to enormous economic recession and dislocation.

Despite these difficulties tourism showed some recovery in the late 1970s and, a number of major hotel projects were implemented resulting in tourism arrivals reaching a total of two million by 1982. The 350 room expansion of the Coral Towers (Britannia Beach) was completed on Paradise Island by 1982 as was the 360 room Grand Hotel. On Cable Beach the Government embarked upon the construction of the 690 room Cable Beach Hotel which opened in 1984. In Eleuthera the 130 room Cape Eleuthera Hotel opened in 1983 as did the 100 room Treasure Cay Hotel in Abaco.

The 1980s But again OPEC held the world hostage in 1979 and created a further oil crisis that plunged the world into recession in 1980, a recession marked by fierce inflation which lasted well into the early 1980s. The growth in the late 1970s and the opening of new hotel rooms resulted in The Bahamas receiving two million visitors a year by 1982. Of these however 1.1 million were stopovers, that is persons staying 24 hours or more whilst more than 700,000 were cruise visitors, the balance being day visitors.

By 1986 The Bahamas received three million visitors a year. However virtually all of the growth between 1982 and 1986 came as a result of cruise traffic which doubled from 720,000 visitors in 1982 to 1.5 million in 1986. As it takes the spending of more than 14 cruise visitors to equal that of one hotel visitor you can see that the rapid growth in cruise traffic, whilst boosting overall numbers, did little to boost revenues within the country. In fact it was at this time that the first effects of the conversion of potential hotel visitors to cruise visitors began to be noticed to the disbenefit of the country’s tourism industry.

It was in the 1980s that the hotel industry of The Bahamas began to experience serious difficulties with operating costs and return on investment. At the same time The Bahamas began to face a significant increase in competition as other destinations in the region began to wake up to the potential of tourism. Cancun came on stream in the 1980s and by the end of that decade offered almost 20,000 beachfront hotel rooms.

Jamaica launched its all-inclusive product in the 1980s. Puerto Rico, which had experienced similar problems to The Bahamas, reinvented itself in the mid 1980s and by the end of that decade was offering a substantially improved product. Aruba virtually invented a tourism industry out of nothing as a result of the closure of its oil refineries in 1984. In response to this deteriorating business environment only one major hotel was built in The Bahamas in the late 1980s and that was Carnival’s 867 room Crystal Palace Hotel in Nassau.

The 1990s Then in 1991 came the Gulf War and the subsequent North American economic recession. Despite this dislocation the number of tourists visiting The Bahamas peaked in 1992 at 3.7 million visitors but of this total, 2.1 million (57%) were cruise passengers.

The war and recession had the greatest impact upon our long stay stopover and hotel visitors and the number of stopovers, which totaled 1.37 million in 1985, had peaked in 1989 and fell back sharply to 1.39 million in 1992, barely ahead of 1985. Cruise traffic by comparison had almost doubled during that seven-year period, from 1.1 million in 1985 to its peak of 2.1 million in 1992. Thus by 1992 The Bahamas found itself with an aging hotel plant, virtually no new investment, and very poor return on operations and on capital invested. This in turn lead to run down and poorly maintained plant and as a result the destination gained a reputation as a cruise line port of call rather than a destination where one would want to spend a longer vacation.

By 1992 the hotel industry was in a state of shock with low occupancies and low average room rates. The economic dislocation following the Gulf War had also forced two major carriers out of business, Pan American and Eastern, decreasing the amount of airlift to the destination considerably. That year the hotel industry of Nassau Paradise Island experienced average room occupancies of just 52%. That is, over the course of the year, almost half of the 8,000 rooms ran empty. In 1990 the average room rate for large hotels in Nassau was $99.00.

By the end of 1991 the rate had fallen 12% to $87.00. 1992 saw rates fall a further $5.00 to $82.00 and the following year fell a further $2.00 to $80.00. To ensure reasonable occupancies hoteliers resorted to heavy discounting of room rates in an effort to maintain art least some share of market. Average room rates bottomed out at $78 in 1994, some $21.00 and 21% lower than in 1990. Given the combination of lower occupancies and lower room rates the hotel industry saw gross rooms revenue drop more than 26% between 1990 and 1994.

This led to substantial operating losses for many hotels. And it had a serious adverse impact on employment and salaries within the industry with many employees working just two and three day weeks. As can be appreciated our tourism industry was on the brink of economic disaster. In 1992 the electorate of The Bahamas dismissed the incumbent government and elected The Free National Movement to be its new government.

The turnaround in the mid 1990s. One of the first decisions made by the new Government was that it would no longer be in the hotel business. In 1992 the Government owned the 690 room Radisson Cable Beach Hotel, the 390 room Ambassador Beach Hotel, the 175 room Royal Bahamian Hotel all on Cable Beach, Nassau, as well as the 175 room Lucayan Beach Hotel and Casino and 550 room Lucayan Holiday Inn, both in Grand Bahama.In The Out Islands the Government owned two small hotels in Andros and one small hotel at Winding Bay, Eleuthera.

In 1992 the Ministry of Tourism was revamped with a new Minister, Brent Symonette, who came from the private sector, and a new Director-General, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, who also came from the private sector, in fact from Resorts International’s hotel on Paradise Island. Their joint view was that no improvement could come to the tourism industry until there was a transformation in the quality of the product and this could only come as a result of new investment and new ownership of the plant.

Tourism reached a low point in 1993/1994. Hotels in Nassau/Paradise Island saw average year round room occupancies of between 55% – 60% and annual average room rates of less than $80 per room per night. The situation in Grand Bahama was little different, except average room rates were even lower. The tourism industry in The Out Islands also struggled.

In May 1994 the renaissance of The Bahamian tourism industry began with the sale of Resorts International’s Paradise Island hotel to Sun International. In the space of eight months the property was transformed and after a $250 million makeover reopened in January 1995 to extensive accolades. Also in 1994 the Government was able to sell the 390 room Ambassador Beach Hotel to John Issa’s Superclubs hotel chain which closed the hotel in September 1994 and reopened it one year later as Breezes. The Royal Bahamian Hotel was sold to Mr. Butch Stewart’s Sandals group in 1995. That hotel was closed for 12 months and reopened as Sandals Royal Bahamian in September 1996.

Carnival sold The Crystal Palace Hotel and Casino to Mr. Ruffin in 1994 who immediately placed a Marriott flag on the property. Mr. Ruffin later purchased the adjacent Nassau Beach Hotel from Forte hotels in 1997.

Sun International purchased the 565 room Holiday Inn on Paradise Island in 1996 and demolished it making way for the construction of the 1,200 room Royal Tower and casino complex which opened in December 1998 to enormous publicity and great success. In 1998 Sun decided to close the Paradise Island Airport and continued to further develop its property. In late 2000 they added 50 rooms to the prestigious Ocean Club and completely revamped the 18 hole golf course on the island. By the end of 2000 Sun had invested close to $1 billion in Paradise Island.

In late 1998 the RHK Group out of Canada purchased the old downtown British Colonial Hotel which they closed for complete renovation in May 1998 and reopened after a $68 million facelift in October 1999. Other hotels, notably the Club Med on Paradise Island, and the Sheraton Grand both on Paradise Island also invested heavily in upgrading their facilities. In late 1999 and early 2000 the old Paradise Island Fun Club changed ownership and was completely refurbished and reopened in July 2000 after a period of closure as the Holiday Inn Sunspree on Paradise Island.

As a result of the problems the industry faced in the early 1990s many airlines cutback on their service to Nassau. Delta ceased jet service from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando and cut back on its New York and Atlanta service. British Airways pulled out. Pan American which had served the destination for many years went out of business as did Eastern. Charter carriers filled the void in the early/mid 1990s but as the product improved the scheduled airlift returned and in the late 1990s scheduled nonstop jet service was increasingly common.

By 2000 Nassau’s renaissance was almost complete. Expenditures by tourists jumped 46% between 1991 and 1999 and the quality of visitor improved significantly.

The turnaround in Grand Bahama came more slowly. The Government was not able to sell its hotels until 1997 when both the Holiday Inn and Lucayan Beach and Casino were sold to the Hong Kong company Hutchison Whampoa, the company developing the container terminal in Freeport. Hutchison also purchased the 170 room Atlantik Beach hotel (located between the Holiday Inn and the Lucayan Beach Hotel) which it demolished in July 1998. The renovated 550 room Holiday Inn reopened in April 1999 and the complete 1,350 room resort is scheduled to open in December 2000. The 965 room Princess property was put up for sale by Lonrho, its British owners, in 1994 but it wasn’t until 1999 that it was sold and is presently undergoing a substantial refurbishment and renovation.

The Out Islands have seen little change in the 1990s although the quality of the product has improved significantly and expenditures are also up. Part of the problem lies with the fact that Bahamasair has yet to show any substantial improvement in its performance which significantly hinders the movement of tourists to the Out Islands. A number of small hotels have been constructed in The Out Islands during the late 1990s, many geared toward bonefishing.

In September 1999 Eleuthera and Abaco were particularly badly hit by Hurricane Floyd which caused a great deal of devastation to beachfront properties. Whilst Abaco’s tourism industry recovered quite quickly and was fully functional by mid 2000, the 280 room Club Med on Eleuthera remained closed as result of storm damage and as of December 2000 has yet to reopen.

The cruise industry went through a period of contraction during the mid 1990s falling from 2,139,383 passengers in 1992 to 1,543,495 by 1995 as ships began to develop new itineraries in the lower and Western Caribbean and Key West opened up to the short three and four day cruises. At the same time ships calling at Nassau began leaving earlier and earlier in the day as the cruiselines attempted to make more money on board by leaving port and immediately opening their shops and casinos.

In 1995 the Government passed legislation designed to encourage ships to stay longer in port and to increase the overall volume of traffic by offering incentives to the cruiseline companies. This began to pay quick dividends and reversed the decline in traffic. However it was the advent of the Disney Magic in August 1998 with its twice weekly calls on Nassau which really boosted business, to be followed by the Disney Wonder one year later. Disney had purchased and completely redeveloped Castaway Cay in Great Abaco as a port of call for their ships leading to a big jump in numbers of cruise visitors to The Out Islands. This was emulated by Holland America which also purchased their own private island and developed it as Half Moon Cay.

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COMMENTS

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    Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000. Tourism can be important for both the travelers and the people in the countries they visit. For visitors, traveling can increase their ...

  8. The History and Evolution of Tourism

    The aim of the present book is to provide an overview of tourism evolution in the past, present and future. This book discusses significant travel, tourism and hospitality events while referring to tourism-related notions and theories that were developed throughout the history of tourism. Even so, its scope moves beyond a detailed historical ...

  9. Introduction: Travel and Tourism: An Industry Is Born in Four

    The Travel, Tourism and Hospitality (TT&H) industry is a relatively young one, effectively conceived and shaped in the XVIII and XIX century by the British elites descending through continental Europe for a full cultural immersion in classical heritage and contexts. This experience served as an essential formation rite for the young members of ...

  10. Full article: Welcome to the Journal of Tourism History

    The Journal of Tourism History is launched as an innovative, outward-looking journal which has an interdisciplinary spirit and a global reach, while remaining firmly rooted in scholarly historical practices that respect evidence, make use of appropriate archival material and provide full supporting references.

  11. (PDF) The History and Evolution of Tourism

    Abstract. The aim of the present book is to provide an overview of tourism evolution in the past, present and future. This book discusses significant travel, tourism and hospitality events while ...

  12. Journal of Tourism History

    The Journal of Tourism History is the primary venue for peer-reviewed scholarship covering all aspects of the evolution of tourism from earliest times to today's world. Articles address all regions of the globe and often adopt interdisciplinary approaches for exploring the past. The Journal of Tourism History is particularly (though not exclusively) interested in promoting the study of areas ...

  13. History

    History. 2000 - 2010 | 1999 - 1975 | 1970 - 1946. 2010. First T.20 Ministers' Meeting underscores tourism's contribution to global economic recovery and the long-term 'green' transformation. 2009. In response to the global economic crisis, the UNWTO Roadmap for Recovery is developed, demonstrating how tourism can contribute to economic ...

  14. Chapter 1. History and Overview

    Learn about the origins, definitions, and impacts of tourism worldwide and in Canada and British Columbia. Explore the industry groups, associations, and trends of tourism and hospitality in BC.

  15. Prospects in tourism history: Evolution, state of play and future

    The field of tourism history has been developing rapidly, especially since the 1980s. It is important not only in its own right, but also as a contributor to wider understandings of issues and processes in tourism studies and tourism management more generally. This article offers a critical examination, on a global scale and from an interdisciplinary perspective, of the development and ...

  16. A Brief History of Travel and Tourism

    Historians cite this tradition as the origin of the modern tourism industry and indicate that the tradition had become well established in European culture by the 1660s. ... One hugely influential player in the history of travel and tourism was Englishmen Thomas Cook, who established the first-ever travel agency to provide 'inclusive ...

  17. History of Tourism

    The tourism industry is also a significant source of revenue for governments around the world. During the pre-historic period, the primary purpose was food and safety. During the pre-historic ...

  18. History of Hospitality and Tourism

    Learn all about the hospitality and tourism industry. Explore the history of the industry, the evolution of the industry over time, and examples of its impact. Updated: 11/21/2023 ...

  19. THE EVOLUTION OF THE TOURISM SECTOR

    Learn how tourism has changed over the decades with technology, communications and marketing. Discover the factors behind the increase in tourist numbers and the challenges and opportunities for the sector in 2021.

  20. Tourism Through the Ages: The Human Desire to Explore

    Tourism has evolved through history, from pilgrims and Grand Tours, to roads trips and cruise ships today. ... Throughout the 20th century, hotels and motels became more common businesses worldwide, further fueling the tourism industry. Later, the development of credit cards helped lower-income families afford vacations more easily. Credit ...

  21. Global tourism industry

    Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033. Share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP worldwide in 2019 and 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033. Leading global travel ...

  22. The History of Tourism

    Although the modern industry of tourism is sophisticated and global, the simple idea of it stretches back hundreds of years. In fact, the word tourist was first known to be used in 1772, and tourism was first used to describe this idea in 1811. It is a significant and vital source of income for many regions, and tourism accounts for 30% of the ...

  23. Tourism History

    The History of The Ministry of Tourism The Early Years The Bahamas first recognized the potential of a tourism industry way back in the middle of the last century when its Government passed a Tourism Encouragement Act in 1851. This was followed by a second act passed in 1854. A third act passed in 1857 authorized the Government to purchase land to allow the construction of a "grand hotel".

  24. Around 65,000 fans attended P!nk, boosting local tourism and industry

    Townsville. Around 65,000 fans attended P!nk, boosting local tourism and industry. P!nk made history in Townsville as she wrapped up her record-breaking Australian tour, smashing stadium ...